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Speaking not as an expert, but rather a guy with really weird tastes in pretty much everything... I'm not an expert on LEGO building. Really, I'm just kinda ok with weird fantasy vehicles. And when I do get the chance to sit down and build something, I usually don't envision how the final thing "should look". Usually, I'll just be fooling around with some pieces and come across some assembly that I think is kinda cool, then I'll expand on it and keep ironing it out until it all flows smoothly. Then I'll leave it be for a few months, come back, polish it, and/or rework it into something a bit different. It's very organic, and I rarely come up with anything that's even remotely realistic. If you were to ask me to build a house, you'd likely just get a box with some windows, doors, and hopefully a roof. As for drawing... Hahahahaha.

Speaking not as an expert, but rather someone who was/is in a similar boat to you... Firstly, as you would with all creative endeavours, go and find yourself some inspiration. You'd like to build mechs and vehicles? Go look them up. I'm sure I don't need to tell you where to find them, in fact this whole point is kind of an obvious one for anyone who took an creative subject at school. Don't just be inspired by the creations of others though, actually look closely at the models and check out the clever techniques that the master builders of the world use. This should be enough to get some ideas rolling in your head. Secondly, just start building. You don't have many parts? Not an issue. For a little kid, parts were rarely an issue, you just picked up what you had and SHABAM you've got yourself a space ship in the most dazzling array of colours imaginable. Just as an artist would begin creating his masterpiece of a painting by brushing down the first stroke of paint, or an athlete would run a marathon by taking his first step from the starting line, you should begin expanding your creativity by simply sticking two parts together and let your hands run wild. Get acquainted with the parts you have. Once you're ready to step up and build some more serious models, you'll need to know your restrictions. As you said, you don't have many parts. If you have the money I recommend going out and buying some Creator sets, or just whatever stands out to you. Start building a collection, and by purchasing sets you will get more consistency in your colours too. Try and build at least one model (or just the set itself) with everything you buy, and build stuff out of what you already have, and you should start to get an idea of what kind of parts are at your disposal. This next point kind of works differently for different people. If you're the kind of person that likes to plan everything out, draw up an idea of the model you want to make. This is for your eyes only, so screw it if your drawing skills suck. Get an idea of the end goal. Alternatively, if you're someone like me, just improvise the entire model. Have in mind the basics - maybe a mech with two arms and two legs, joined by a body and head. Sounds simple, but it immediately sets the foundations for your model. Then improvise it, stick some bricks together and you've got a body. Now find yourself a joint and you can build on the limbs. And so on. So far, this has all been a personal experience. You are getting yourself acquainted with LEGO, freeing yourself to build whatever you like, just as a child would. You haven't taken any 'How to build LEGO like a pro' course, you aren't under scrutiny by someone to produce a masterpiece straight off the bat, you're just ENJOYING building and experimenting. Great. Now, by this point, you will have built something. For me, I'd built many models which I posted >here, >here and >here. That first one is incredibly small and basic, the second is awful in shape and the third isn't anything to be particularly proud of, but still all three sit on display in my room now. Just post your models. No one decent (decent being the operative word) is going to laugh and mock you, I had many helpful comments on my models. Take that first step to confidently show off your creations to the world, just as a little boy would build his yellow, green and blue spaceship and proudly hold it up to his parents. Take heed of the feedback. For me, after all this, I was ready to build something awesome. I went out and bought some Mixels, broke them up as soon as I'd built the standard models and had an idea of what parts I had, and went straight to work building a creature. Soon enough, >Gary was born. Now, I'm not saying he's a masterpiece. Not at all, he's a very basic little creature who deceivingly appears to be complex because I stuck a ton of random small parts around him. And the big adorable eyes lend a hand too. Just build, McJ. Go grab yourself a set or use what you've got already and build yourself a mech with a huge laser on its wrist and a cyclopian evil eye, with rocket thrusters on the back of its legs. Build a big red truck with lights everywhere and a ladder and minifigures that can sit in the front. Build a space ship with photon blasters and a clever escape pod function, with a huge engine on the back and deceivingly small wings. For goodness' sake, there's no algorithm or secret trick or exclusive talent for building with LEGO. Stick some bricks together. Build yourself a creation. Tear it apart, build another one. Tear it apart, build another. Eventually, by simple human nature, you will have developed your skills. Soon you will have a creation which will sit on your desk for years to come, and you can show it to people with pride saying "This, fellas, this is my first EPIC model".

So I needed some drawing practice now that I have my new tablet, and Ace suggested drawing RRU members as Rock Raiders. So That's what I'm doing. Completed: (note: the color bleeds out of the outline in some of these, I am currently working to fix that) Ace Ben Drill Master Fushi (Me) Jedi299 Jimbob Le LEGOCyborg McJobless McStudz MaelstromIslander Pereki and Phantom Terror Phantom Terror Pranciblad ProfessorBrickkeeper Rocket Shadowblaze Xiron Zeph If you want drawn, post here, along with a brief description. Physical traits only, the rest I'd prefer to do myself. New drawings will be added to the OP as I finish them.

This topic is going to feel weird coming from someone who wants to be a game designer. It's like if a runner asked how to move his legs, or a doctor needed to know how to check for temperature. I'm a little scared that my kind of "creativity" is one-sided. I can imagine extremely complex, glorious (s***ty) storylines and I can find gameplay mechanics that other people won't dare to tread, but that seems to be my limit. I've had almost no luck being able to draw anything I imagine, and worst still is my LEGO skills. I'm not going to bring the LEGO movie into this because of spoilers, but basically I don't think I have the skills or ideas necessary to make anything "awesome" with LEGO. I can't recall building anything that wasn't either a spaceship (loose use of the term, it's either a big rectangle block with some stuff jammed on it or the LEGO civilian jet slightly reconfigured) or a horrifically traumatised Bionicle who looks like ran through a rainbow with superglue. That might stem from years of only having limited sets and usually adhering very closely to the building instructions, without even attempting to mix up the creations in anyway. This is probably going to be a ridiculously dumb question, but, how exactly to I increase my creativity, skill and patience so I can at least get to the level of 12 year old LEGO Universe Fan Game Designer? I'm sure there's a few of you out there who have some pretty unique techniques when you go to build something. I'd certainly like to be able to build some awesome new mech and vehicle designers. I'm not too concerned about matching colours since my parts library is pretty tiny, and I don't have the wide range everybody else does. I just really want to be able to start having crazy ideas and achieving a sort of resemblance to them.

When you mention "(s***ty)" that is, as far as I believe, only from your point of view. Don't take yourself down too hard and also anything you come up with from scratch, such as you so-called "(s***ty) storylines", is using your imagination. You are being creative thinking how the storyline goes, you are the one who is making up your own ideas, no one else is involved. Trust me, when you take in your ideas as positive that can help encourage yourself to continue, using your imagination as much as you want. Also, there is a LEGO Book I have somewhere which may or may not be too helpful but it reviews LEGO Builders who Build for events, decorations, or even just for the fun of it. Anyways those pages hold possibly helpful suggestions to problems you may have as it suggests ways of using your Creativity or how to build a nice sturdy structure. I can't remember the title of the book, nor can I find it but if I do find it in future and you are still having trouble I can recommend it to you.

MCJOBLESS. WHY HAVEN'T YOU UPDATED THIS TOPIC IN FOREVER? Knowledge is a weird thing, and it hurts a lot. Essentially, I have a lot of notes to share, but there's the problem of both organisation (making them readable by anybody without access to my brain) and plagiarism/lack of context (I don't want to provide you guys with notes that could be viewed for free from people who are doing a lot of good work spreading important messages about games development, and some of the stuff I've got aren't really relevant to what we've covered so far). I'm right now considering turning what I've learnt into a small PDF. I don't want to publish everything into a condensed book proper, since that would be paying disservice to the giants I've been climbing on top of so far. I'll let you know when I've made progress, but for now, know that the journey is only going to get far more confusing unless you're prepared for it.

"You may be Shaggy but I'm Chewbacca" ~ Joe in a group voice chat after making a disturbing sound

LUR conversation regarding this. [9:00:41 PM] Jamesster: I'm trying not to laugh because laughing would make me look like a jerk but [9:00:50 PM] Jamesster: this is making me want to laugh [9:00:58 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: Meanwhile, Alcom is all [9:01:04 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: BWAH HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHAHHA [9:01:07 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAHHAHAHHA! [9:01:08 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: HA! [9:01:14 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! [9:42:58 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: So how is ORR? [9:43:10 PM] Jamesster: one branch morphed into GNOMAL [9:43:18 PM] Jamesster: that's about all I know as for current status [9:43:23 PM] McJobless: Imagine an image of a burning plane running into the ocean. [9:43:39 PM] McJobless: Now imagine that image being thrown out of a 18 story building. [9:43:43 PM] McJobless: Landing onto a freeway. [9:44:02 PM] McJobless: Being sucked into the exhaust pipe of a gas truck. [9:44:11 PM] McJobless: Which then explodes and destroys everything. [9:44:22 PM] McJobless: Now imagine all that inside a movie. [9:44:28 PM] McJobless: And imagine that movie as a script. [9:44:41 PM] McJobless: Now imagine the script being rejected by everyone in Hollywod. [9:44:47 PM] McJobless: THAT'S how ORR is going. [9:44:49 PM] McJobless: Last I heard.

[5:01:13 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: Sometimes I wish text would be read upwards. Then it would be like climbing a mountain. [5:01:23 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: No, I'm not high. Don't be absurd. [5:01:34 PM] McJobless: You're unusually poetic today, Alcom. [5:03:47 PM] jamesster: Alcom is writing It is very nice to read Look it's a haiku [5:04:34 PM] McJobless: Spaceship Spaceship SPPPPAACEEEEship. [5:04:43 PM] McJobless: A haiku written by Benny. [5:04:47 PM] [sGT] Alcom Isst: There once was a LEGO Community That worked in perfect unity But then children showed up Everything f**ked up And it all just broke our synergy

The next part is up! This week: Texturing.

I've now (very recently) built the Granite Grinder in Minecraft too: Here it is, I am not proud of this design but I did try my best. The Granite Grinder from the back. This is the Cab, it only comsists (as you can see) of a switch, no seats, no other switches or buttons, just this but also the switch does nothing, unlike the Chrome Crusher. Bonus Docs clothing, I am also not too proud of those Dyed clothes as it doesn't look like Docs. Also, I decided not to make Axles' clothes again even though he is part of the Granite Grinder set, I originally tried to recreate Bandit's clothing but that didn't go too well. All in all this isn't as good as the Chrome Crusher rebuild and I think I made the clothes too poorly but I'm going to have to accept it.

Console ports use a different format for a variety of reasons that aren't important. Basically, they would need a special converter written for them, which I don't think anybody is really willing to do.

Hey guys, I built this a while ago for a competition I was having with another MOCist about who could build the best creation out of parts from just one set. I think I did pretty well on this guy to be honest. Original set can be seen HERE.

Go look at your Trade Modules. Also, can you accept my Friend Request? (Does anyone know if stuff like Pipes are sent to Networkers? Those AI things?) EDIT: If anyone wants me to put up something, say a Stunt Travel Module, just ask. I've EVERYTHING (including most (if not all) of the Bionicle and Lego Chronicles (that City game)) up to Rank 5.

(McJobless and I in a personal Skype chat) [3/28/2014 4:08:58 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:12:38 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:12:53 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:12:59 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:13:22 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:13:27 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:14:25 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:15:10 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:15:39 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:16:41 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:16:48 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:16:59 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:17:24 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:17:31 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:17:49 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:18:44 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:18:58 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:19:52 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:20:20 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:20:29 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:21:30 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:21:42 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:21:50 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:21:59 PM] McJobless: Yo. [3/28/2014 11:22:22 PM] JAL: Hey [3/28/2014 11:23:15 PM] McJobless: Yo. [9:35:45 PM] JAL: Hey [9:36:43 PM] McJobless: Yo. [9:37:31 PM] JAL: I'm breaking the chain now to actually talk about stuff. [9:37:59 PM] McJobless: Okay As you can see, a lot of stuff goes on in there...

There is. It's called Drome Racers. LEGO Racers 4 was canceled. '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>