Purity: Crystal Block Postscript

After reviewing all eight sets in this series I figured I should have a little more to say beyond the reviews.  These are good sets, mostly.  I think that the cost of using translucent bricks drives up the price.  There's also a mecha you can create using all eight sets but I don't feel like disassembling the "Robot" to give it a try.

I disassembled all the things I built for the reviews -- besides the Robot -- and dumped out the parts to see what I could build instead of the oversized mecha.  This is what I came up with.

Two Frames, Two Stations, and a Battle Car.  I also have an idea for a Frame I'm already calling a "Ghost Spider".

I also made some modifications to the Robot build and turned it into a Soldier loadout with color coded Attachments.

I'll probably assemble a squad of these at some point, after I refine the Attachments a bit.

What I Think are the Useful Parts from each Set:
Boat -- Taps, Clip Plate, Bar Brick, Bricks w/Stud on 1 Side.
Helicopter -- Ball Joint Plates.
Ambulance -- Mudguard Plate, Brackets.
Plane -- Bricks w/Studs on 2 Sides.
Crane -- Ball Joint Plates, Lampholders, Clip Tile.
Police Car -- Ball Joint Plates, Bracket.
Fire Truck -- Mudguard Plate, Bricks w/Studs on 2 Sides.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#8) Robot Review

While I did the other sets in order of parts count, I saved this one for last just to build up some suspense.  They call it a Robot but we all know it's a Mecha.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.16 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Ball Joint Plates, Wedge
Slopes, Slope. Inverted Slopes, Round
Tile, Minifig Binoculars, Minifig Telescope,
Bar Bricks, Brick w/1 Stud on Side, Round Plates, and Lampholders.

Build.  It's a little flimsy in the shoulders and I ended up with two extra pieces.   2Rd (right arm) 1Y (left arm).

Size Comparison.  It fits right in to the MFZ size continuum.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  It's a Frame-in-a-Box but the price gives it a sub-par score.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#7) Fire Truck Review

The penultimate review in the series.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.14 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Mudguard Plate, Tiles, Panels, Large Jumper, Bar Plate, Axle Plates, Tires,
Bar Tiles, Corrugated Bricks, Grille Tile,
Round Plates, Bricks, Brick w/Studs on 2
Sides, Rims, and Minifig Telescope.

Build.  This is pretty close to the set.  I figure 2Rd (turret) 1B (armor body) 1G (extra wheels).

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Another set I'm not thrilled with.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#6) Police Car Review

Day two, Week two, onward with the reviews.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.14 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Axle Plates, Ball Joint Plates,
Grille Tiles, Tiles, Round Tiles, Tires, Bracket,
2x2 Studless Slope, Slope, 4x3 Slope w/Cutout, Bricks, Corrugated Brick, and Rims.

Build.  Another IO frigate.

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Despite the Ball Joint Plates, I am not feeling this set.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#5) Crane Review

They're calling this a Crane but I think it looks more like an EOD Drone.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.07 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Axle Plates, 4x3 Slope w/Cutout, Brick, Rims, Lightsaber
Blade, Tires, Ball Joint Plates, Grille Tile, Lampholders, Round
Brick, Round Plates, Studless Slopes, Clip Tile, and Bar Tile.

Build.  Ramcart (2Rd/2Rh).

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Needs a smidge more parts to be really good.

MFZ Promotional Pictures

Joshua posted this on the Discord channel on Friday.

Hey, @everyone! I'm changing out the images on the official Mobile Frame Zero site and would love to highlight some of your works there! Anyone who's into it, please send me some images and I'll put them in a gallery! These are to make the game look good, as well as your own work, so I'm looking for:

* Decent shots. In focus, good light, all that business. I've watched you all help bring your photos up to snuff, so I know you can do this!

• Game-plausible scenarios, not just a robot standing around looking badass. Set up a little situation with a piece of cover that's getting blasted away, or running from one tree to another, or going down as two Swarmers pull the joints apart. Be creative!

* Simple composition. White backgrounds, a handful of mobile frames at most.

* All special effects are built out of LEGO! It's fine to clean up your photos with a photo editor or something, but any laser blasts or rocket smoke or whatever should be actually built. It's fine if you want to use non-LEGO stuff, but make sure it's real stuff!

* NO designs based on Soren's designs. No Chubs, Ospreys, Suzerains, Scramblers, Hi-Legs, or Commissars. The reason I'm doing this is to remove as much of his intellectual property from the game as possible at his request.

* A link to your favorite place to show off your frame designs! Your Flickr account, a Mobile Frame Hangar thread, your Facebook page, whatever. It doesn't have to be just frames. It's just where you want to point someone who likes your build.

You can look at the pictures at http://mobileframezero.com/ to see the kind of thing I'm thinking of, except that everything there (aside from Vincent's barrel-chested guys) is, or is closely based on, one of Soren's designs. You will, of course, get full credit. That's what the link is for! And if you've been thinking about selling some of your frames, you might want to point to that!(edited)

[3:49 PM]

Additionally, please pay close attention to the rules for making (and publishing) your stuff on page 215! In short, I won't use Fascist imagery, like 40k. If you have questions and I don't get right back to you, please @ me to make sure I see your question as soon as I can!

So get out your prettiest Frames, take neat pictures, and send them to Joshua!

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#4) Plane Review

Here's the last one for this week.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.15 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Wedge Plates, Grille Tile, Studless Slopes, Round Tiles,
Slope, Bricks w/Studs on 2 Sides, Minifig Telescopes, and Brackets.

Build.  Another IO frigate.

  

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Not great but might be useful if combined with another set.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#3) Ambulance Review

It's Thursday and we have the first of four wheeled vehicle sets.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.16 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Axle Plates, Mudguard Plate, Tiles, Panels, Bracket,
Rims, Tires, Corrugated Bricks, Bricks, Slopes, and Grille Tile.

Build.  Another IO frigate.
  

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  I think this is the weakest set so far.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#2) Helicopter Review

It's Wednesday and on to review number two.

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.16 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Tiles, Propellers, Ball Joint Plates, Cheese Graters, Grille Tile, Slope, Brick, Pin Tile, 2x2 Studless Slope,
Axle Plate, and Inverted Slope.

Build.  2Rh+d8 Frame.

  

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Below.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  A surprising amount of Ball Joint Plates in this set.

Purity: Crystal Blocks (#1) Boat Review

The first actual Crystal Blocks set review

Box.  I paid $4.99, for a $0.16 Price per Piece.

Instructions.

Parts.  Plates, Wedge Plates, Inverted Slopes, Bricks w/1 Stud on Side,
Brick, Bar Brick, Panels, Steering Wheels, Bar Tile, Taps, 2x2 Studless
Slope, Clip Plate, Round Plate, Cone, and Minifig Binoculars.

Build.  A quick and dirty IO frigate. 

The Questions:

Can you build something -- a frame, station, or starship -- right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio?  Above.  (-10)  (The Golden Ratio is $0.10 per part.)
If you can't build a frame right away, or choose not to, does it have parts you should be able to put into use right away?  Yes.  (+5)
Does it have more than a handful of immediately useful parts?  No.  (-5)
Score: -5 (B-).  Not a lot of pieces but, there are a few parts that could be interesting.

Purity: Crystal Blocks Prelude

Someone on the Discord server alerted the community to the existence of these sets.  So for the next two weeks I'm going to be delving into these sets.

Target sells them in bulk lots online; Lot 1, Lot 2.  In the two brick & mortar stores I have found these sets in, they can be found in the section containing gashapon, Magic cards, and other blind pick items.  Apparently Toys'R'Us sells them online too; Lot 1, Lot 2.