Author Topic: Spy Team HQ  (Read 3038 times)

Offline JPSA

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2020, 04:26:21 »
The spirit of childhood play is alive in this picture.  :cloud9:

Thank you, Macruran!  This is the greatest compliment I could wish for, regarding this piece.  That's basically what I tried to do: capture the archetypal essence of the 'fortress', particularly from a boy's perspective, who are usually very keen on war games and 'defend-the-castle' type of scenarios ( 'territorial defense', shall we say ) — a place where they would want to project themselves, and play, mentally.

Note: The fortress is a recurrent motif in boy toys and paracosms.  Elements one can typically expect inside such toy- or 'pretend' fortresses, whatever their form ( castle, base, actual 'fort', etc. ), are: 1) a detention area, 2) a secret treasure spot, and 3) some kind of command / decision center   ...and 4) loads of weapons ( + occasionally, traps ), of course.  Like many — most? — boys my nephew's age ( he is 9 ), I used to draw these kinds of things as a child ( sci-fi bases, mostly — cross-sections! —, filled with weapons and counter-measures to defend against ubiquitous 'bad guys' ), and also build them as toy dioramas ( action-figures, Lego, Playmobil... ).  Age 9 happens to be the peak age for worldplay ( a.k.a. 'paracosm play' ), according to child development research.  Thankfully, that worldbuilding spirit never left; though spending time around my young nephew definitely inspired me to formalize some of the elements we had talked and played about, checking with him from time to time as I went, to gauge his reaction and make sure I got it right.



MARX TOYS Navarone Playset ( 1976 )



LEGO Nexo Knights — The Fortex ( 2016 )
« Last Edit: May 24, 2020, 15:11:55 by JPSA »

Offline Macruran

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #11 on: June 07, 2020, 19:24:45 »
Oh man I remember those plastic toy soldier forts! Amazing nostalgia. And yeah I built/designed a few forts or bases in my time too...I remember I made one side cutaway drawing of a multilevel underground base staffed by Pac-Man ghosts  and being invaded in real time by Pac-Man commandos!

I note the one thing left out of the fort elements is a restroom - best invest in some of those portapotties!  :lol:
"We like things in little." - G. Stein  
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Offline Redmao

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #12 on: June 08, 2020, 16:00:10 »
Fantastic!
As a big fan of the Top Agents theme and spy action, this thread hits all the right buttons.

Offline JPSA

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #13 on: June 10, 2020, 08:39:59 »
I remember I made one side cutaway drawing of a multilevel underground base staffed by Pac-Man ghosts  and being invaded in real time by Pac-Man commandos!

I note the one thing left out of the fort elements is a restroom - best invest in some of those portapotties!  :lol:

...Awesome!  'Love the idea of the invading Pac-Man commandos!  So the ghosts were the good guys?  :lol: ...Do you still have it?

Re. restrooms: Yes, you're right; I remember always putting restrooms in my cross-section bases, as a kid.  I should have mentioned them in the list of key fortress elements.  Call it 'waste disposal', broadly speaking.  Though, in the Spy Team base, they are included ( inside the barracks containers: set 5051 / 3260 ).

Re. Navarone playset: it was a source of inspiration for Mattel's Castle Grayskull playset ( see: The Toys That Made Us series / He-Man episode, on Netflix ).

For laughs, here is a self-burying base I did 4-5 years ago, to inspire my nephew into thinking about drawing his own, reminiscent of the kinds of base/fortresses I used to draw as a child.  Though back then, I'd draw them in 2D and with weapons.  Note: I initially nearly put a canon at the top, instead of the radar, but changed my mind in an attempt to set a good — pacifistic — example ( I was wrong! )  ...Toilets included, of course!  :lol:

« Last Edit: June 10, 2020, 13:56:00 by JPSA »

Offline tahra

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #14 on: June 11, 2020, 16:51:27 »
:love:

Wow. I admire people who can draw...

Offline Macruran

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #15 on: June 13, 2020, 17:50:55 »
I no longer have my drawing, it's looong since gone, though I can still see it in my mind's eye. As I recall I came up with the idea because I had acquired an alphabet stencil on which the C and G made acceptable Pac-Mans - I think the ghosts were stencilled too somehow. I used colored pens. I think the Pac-Men were the good guys actually as they were getting the better of the ghosts. The Pacs were definitely on the road to victory.

Great drawing of a mobile base, and interesting info about the Grayskull castle.
"We like things in little." - G. Stein  
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Offline GrahamB

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #16 on: June 14, 2020, 09:10:39 »
 I love these small insights into the childhoods of Playmobil collectors!  ;D
At that moment the ship suddenly stopped rocking and swaying, the engine pitch settled down to a gentle hum. 'Hey Ford.' said Zaphod, 'that sounds good. Have you worked out the controls on this boat?' 'No,' said Ford, 'I just stopped fiddling with them.' (With thanks to Douglas Adams)

Offline Janilew

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Re: Spy Team HQ
« Reply #17 on: October 25, 2020, 16:08:33 »
Goodness gracious you drew that?!  :o My, my are you talented!  :love: Makes me wanna revisit my old pirate ideas more! I'm now starting to show interest in another theme I formerly slept on...Top Agents. Curse those Playmobil shorts!  :loco:

Also, have you considered placing this in the "Brainstorming" section? Just so it won't get lost! :)
« Last Edit: October 25, 2020, 19:24:35 by Janilew »