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1

Dioramas & Buildings / Re: Lightning Bolt spaceship

« Last post by JPSA on Today at 10:43:35 »

The 3-decker version ( Lightning Bolt - Phase 2B ):













































































Notes:

The hangar bay was initially intended to hold a crane ( PM 5254 ), but, the wide unobstructed space caused outward bowing of the walls in the original ( Pahse 1 ) version of the ship.  Phase 2B added a horizontal tension truss to prevent the hangar bay from collapsing under the weight.

Here is version 1 ( aka Phase 1 ):

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Dioramas & Buildings / Lightning Bolt spaceship

« Last post by JPSA on Today at 10:02:03 »

While I am dredging my hard drive, here is a system-x project I built for my young nephew, a few years back.  It is a spaceship he christened "The Lightning Bolt", and is the ship featured in the Space Patrol HQ illustration I made during the "corona confinement" [ shudder ].  I am listing it here because it is a bit too big to be considered a ship or vehicle ( although it is a spaceship ), and is closer to a building / fortress diorama.

The ship was designed in a 3D program, first, to figure out the structure, as well as which pieces to buy ( plates, in particular ).  Obviously, steck was out of the question.   Though, to be honest, I believe steck could be used to create futuristic bases, with conventional walls ( instead of stone masonry, imagine gribbled wall-sections, with pipes and panel lines ).  In fact a mix of steck and system-x might work, for that use case ( think: underground, futuristic fortress, as opposed to a ship ).  Anyhow...

The Lightning Bolt comes in two configuration: four-decker ( aka. "Phase 2" ), which was never built, and built 3-decker ( aka. Phase 2B ).  Note: Phase 1 was the original: a 3-decker version with some structural issues ( misaligned decks ), which was built.



4-decker version:















3-decker version:

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Dioramas & Buildings / Re: Cutaway Castle diorama

« Last post by Klickteryx on Today at 09:16:37 »

Amazing work, it definitely has an early-mid 20th century feel to it - the style, not the subject matter. It's not common to see such extensive hoardings either so the creator(s) must have done more than basic research.
Nice use of a door as a window shutter, haven't seen that before.

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News / Re: Müller Black Knight exclusive

« Last post by tahra on Today at 08:53:35 »

I want one too. I will try to find one of those stores and get my 50th knight there, since I didn't yet, anyways. But ... just a fool's hope.

I believe we better hope it's released later, and we can nag the usual german playmofriends for them..

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Dioramas & Buildings / Re: Cutaway Castle diorama

« Last post by JPSA on Today at 03:42:42 »

It is gorgeous.  I love that they took the risk, and trouble, of painting exterior walls.  The warm tones lend an appealing vibe to the façade, and are a welcome departure from the usual gray.  I also love that they built hourds around the battlements.  Very realistic — a feature I wish PM would add to steck ( along with 2x-radius towers! ).  Also, did you notice that thought was put into aligning the fireplaces, on each floor — on both sides — with built-in custom chimney shafts and outlets?   Design.  It's also interesting that the rooms are cut in half, longitudinally: we're literally immersed in the middle of them; something you don't usually see.   ...What this castle proves, to me, is that a little more emphasis on steck build-ability, with a few more pieces, could bring PM to yet another level, at the glorious intersection of construction and narrative-play.  It needn't be limited to medieval themes, either.

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Brainstorming For Playmobil / Re: What's wrong with Playmobil? 2

« Last post by JPSA on Today at 03:20:09 »

. . . but I also suspect there's a belief that the box forms part of the advertising, and a nice, big box with a big image looks better on the shelf in a shop.

Maybe they could have a 24inch (3:2 aspect) TV on the shelves, displaying a slideshow of box art, surrounded by stacks of volume-minimized, 'flatpack' sets.

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News / Re: Müller Black Knight exclusive

« Last post by StJohn on Today at 02:05:31 »

So in 100 box’s there are both ?

No, that would be too easy to guess because of the considerable extra weight.

Oliver is right: the voucher gets you to the golden knight, the FunPark and the €50 store credit. I can only dream of getting one (but notice with surprise that already 2 have been found and reported at Klickywelt. How did they do it?)

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Brainstorming For Playmobil / Re: What's wrong with Playmobil? 2

« Last post by Oliver on Today at 01:59:53 »

There's probably lots of considerations with the box sizes. They need to be a standard range, obviously, but I also suspect there's a belief that the box forms part of the advertising, and a nice, big box with a big image looks better on the shelf in a shop.

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News / Re: Müller Black Knight exclusive

« Last post by Oliver on Today at 01:53:55 »

So in 100 box’s there are both ?

And I get excited if there is an extra flower bloom

Based on the pictures on Klickywelt you only get the dark knight in the box, but maybe they include a voucher for the Golden Knight. Part of the prize is a 50 Euro voucher, which is probably why the low number in circulation.

I think it's possible that the same figure will turn up later as a regular figure in Muller stores.

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Brainstorming For Playmobil / Re: What's wrong with Playmobil? 2

« Last post by Rasputin on Today at 00:33:57 »

I am referring to wasted space in the shipping container.

Yes, there is plenty of wasted space, it’s inside the box .

If a company can fit twice as many sets in the same shipping container that either makes the company more profit or brings down the overall price

When one of my business partners buys shipping containers full of product from China he regularly orders 100’s more just so the container is 100% full . Then it’s less likely to get flagged at port of entry for inspection, saving valuable time and funds .

Pack those box’s full, save the space , bring down the price, sell more volume , make more profit, repeat ……..