This is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. I understand if you cannot help but if you know someone that can, please bring this to their attention.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Friday, October 16, 2015
Hiatus
I'm putting my blog on hiatus for a little while. There are events occurring in my personal life that demand my full attention. I'd like to thank everyone that reads, comments on, and supports my work. Hopefully I'll be back soon.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Review: 40090 Halloween Bat
I came across this the other day while shopping for some other Lego sets.
Box. $4.99 at Toys'R'Us for a $0.03 Price per Piece.
Parts 1. A fair amount of Plates here, along with a few Bricks, Tiles, Slopes -- regular & Inverted -- some 1x2 Mod. Bricks w/Studs on side, a 1x2-2x4 Bracket, some 1x2 Vert. Clip Plates, and a couple Mod. Plate 2x2x2/3 w/2 Studs on Side.
Build. A walker frame. (2Rd+d8/1G/1Y/2W)
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. (+5) (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? Yes. (+5)
Score: +20 (A+). Run, don't walk, to get this set. It's a seasonal set, and at that PpP it's a steal.
Instructions.
Parts 2. Once again we have a lot of Plates, but we also have
Tooth Plates, Bar Plates, Clip Plates, Flower Plates, Cheese
Slopes, Headlight Bricks, Clip Bricks, and Eye Tiles.
Build. A walker frame. (2Rd+d8/1G/1Y/2W)
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. (+5) (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? Yes. (+5)
Score: +20 (A+). Run, don't walk, to get this set. It's a seasonal set, and at that PpP it's a steal.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Non-Human 21
It's a holiday for me and I'm feeling lazy. Have some neat mecha to ogle.
MT1.1 by Marco Marozzi. Nice use of Constraction
parts for what looks to be a really solid design.
upload by [MIXBRIX]. It looks a little fiddly in the feet, but
there are some interesting techniques being used with this one.
Scylla by Max. This guy looks to be about
7 studs tall, or, just perfect for 4P scale.
parts for what looks to be a really solid design.
Great use of color in this build.
upload by [MIXBRIX]. It looks a little fiddly in the feet, but
there are some interesting techniques being used with this one.
They're dinosaurs, and
micro mechs. Win win!
Scylla by Max. This guy looks to be about
7 studs tall, or, just perfect for 4P scale.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Review: 40077 Geoffrey Polybag
I've had this set sitting around in my "To Do" pile for about two years.
Bag. MSRP is $4.99 from Toys'R'Us, which gives us a $0.06 Price per Piece.
Parts. That's a lot of Yellow. I see some Clip Plates, Bar Plates, Slopes, Headlight Bricks, plenty of 1x1 Bricks, some small Radar Dishes, Jumper Plates, Tiles, regular Plates, a Round 8x8 Tile, a couple of Cones, and some Round Plant Bricks w/Leaves. That's a pretty wide cross-section of parts.
Is it below, at, or above the golden ratio? Below. (+5)
(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? Yes. (+5)
Score: +20 (A+). A TRU exclusive gets the top score. Now I really have seen it all.
Instructions.
Build. A small Frame (2Rd+d8/ 2B/2W) with some terrain.
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. (+5)
(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? Yes. (+5)
Score: +20 (A+). A TRU exclusive gets the top score. Now I really have seen it all.
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Review: 30265 Worriz's Fire Bike Polybag
This was available at Target earlier this year and as a Lego "free" giveaway last year.
Bag. MSRP is $3.99 for a $0.13 Price per Piece.
Minifig. Standard Chima minifig.
Build. I managed to build a clunky Frame out of the parts available.
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-). Like most Chima sets it falls down on the price.
Bag. MSRP is $3.99 for a $0.13 Price per Piece.
Instructions.
Minifig. Standard Chima minifig.
Parts. there's not a lot here. It's bad when the greatest quantity of parts is the three different varieties of Technic Pins.
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-). Like most Chima sets it falls down on the price.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Sales Alert
It's sort of the second week of Bricktober and the sales are picking up.
Toys'R'Us has the second Mini Modular set on sale. They also have a Mega Bloks sale going on.
Target has a FREE LEGO Mixels (a $4.99 value) when you buy any LEGO City, Ninjago or Friends toy $24.99 or more sale. They also have an online free LEGO Creator set when you spend $100 on select LEGO sets sale. They also have a 10% off sale going on for certain Mega Bloks sets but it doesn't seem to be listed online.
The Lego Store has double VIP points running until October 14th.
Toys'R'Us has the second Mini Modular set on sale. They also have a Mega Bloks sale going on.
Target has a FREE LEGO Mixels (a $4.99 value) when you buy any LEGO City, Ninjago or Friends toy $24.99 or more sale. They also have an online free LEGO Creator set when you spend $100 on select LEGO sets sale. They also have a 10% off sale going on for certain Mega Bloks sets but it doesn't seem to be listed online.
The Lego Store has double VIP points running until October 14th.
Friday, October 2, 2015
Battle Report: TopatoCon Throwdown
Last Sunday I helped run demos at TopatoCon with CmdrRook. Comrade Gorbash, whom I hadn't seen since PAX East 2013, showed up with his gear so we decided to have a game. This is what happened. :-)
Me (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 42 points.
Yellow Strider (2Rh+d8/1B/1G+d8/2W)
Green Strider (2Rd+d8/1B/1G/2W)
Blue Strider (2Ra+d8/1B/1G/2W)
Red Scrambler (2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W)
CmdrRook (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 18 points.
Comrade Gorbash (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 18 points.
Events of Turn 1 (DDC@11): I capture the Minigun Station CmdrRook placed beside my frame. I capture Comrade Gorbash's Tall Station. I also hit one of his Melee frames for five damage. He hits my Yellow Strider for four damage in return. CmdrRook destroys my Blue Strider, seizes his Staion back and captures one of mine. I destroy the Melee frame of Comrade Gorbash that I damaged earlier. CmdrRook destroys my Yellow Strider, then captures the Tall Station I had seized from Comrade Gorbash.
Events of Turn 2 (DDC@9): CmdrRook captures my second Station.
Events of Turn 3 (DDC@6): I capture CmdrRook's Drone Launcher Station.
Events of Turn 4 (DDC@4): Comrade Gorbash destroys two CmdrRook's Soldier frames and recaptures his Tall Station.
Events of Turn 5 (DDC@1): I capture Comrade Gorbash's Flat Station after he does the Station Dance to keep one of his Frames alive. CmdrRook destroys my Green Strider then recaptures the Drone Launcher Station it was holding. After that he destroys one of Comrade Gorbash's Melee frames. In retaliation Comrade Gorbash destroys CmdrRook's Scrambler. The Doomsday Clock is then ticked down to 0.
Thoughts & Observations:
Me (4 Frames & 16 Systems) = (7 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 42 points.
Yellow Strider (2Rh+d8/1B/1G+d8/2W)
Green Strider (2Rd+d8/1B/1G/2W)
Blue Strider (2Ra+d8/1B/1G/2W)
Red Scrambler (2Rd/1B/1G/1Y/2W)
CmdrRook (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 18 points.
Comrade Gorbash (5 Frames & 20 Systems) = (3 Points per Asset) * (6 assets) = 18 points.
This is how the table looked at the start of the game.
Events of Turn 1 (DDC@11): I capture the Minigun Station CmdrRook placed beside my frame. I capture Comrade Gorbash's Tall Station. I also hit one of his Melee frames for five damage. He hits my Yellow Strider for four damage in return. CmdrRook destroys my Blue Strider, seizes his Staion back and captures one of mine. I destroy the Melee frame of Comrade Gorbash that I damaged earlier. CmdrRook destroys my Yellow Strider, then captures the Tall Station I had seized from Comrade Gorbash.
CmdrRook: 27 points.
Me: 21 points.
Comrade Gorbash: 15 points.
Events of Turn 2 (DDC@9): CmdrRook captures my second Station.
CmdrRook: 30 points.
Comrade Gorbash: 15 points.
Me: 14 points.
Events of Turn 3 (DDC@6): I capture CmdrRook's Drone Launcher Station.
CmdrRook: 27 points.
Me: 21 points.
Comrade Gorbash: 15 points.
Events of Turn 4 (DDC@4): Comrade Gorbash destroys two CmdrRook's Soldier frames and recaptures his Tall Station.
Me: 21 points.
CmdrRook: 18 points.
Comrade Gorbash: 18 points.
Events of Turn 5 (DDC@1): I capture Comrade Gorbash's Flat Station after he does the Station Dance to keep one of his Frames alive. CmdrRook destroys my Green Strider then recaptures the Drone Launcher Station it was holding. After that he destroys one of Comrade Gorbash's Melee frames. In retaliation Comrade Gorbash destroys CmdrRook's Scrambler. The Doomsday Clock is then ticked down to 0.
CmdrRook: 18 points.
Me: 14 points.
Comrade Gorbash: 12 points.
Thoughts & Observations:
- The Primary Attacker position was decided with a die roll.
- Once again we have a game with mixed scale Frame designs.
- We did not use Single Shot Rockets.
- I played a little too aggressively.
- I also tried the "Forget About Me" strategy from PAX East 2015.
- CmdrRook's decision to place one of his Stations directly under my control at the start of the game was curious and maybe a little bit of genius.
- I'll leave you with a picture of the first Activation roll of the game for my Red Scrambler.
Thursday, October 1, 2015
Sales Alert
Remember a few weeks ago when I mentioned BJ's had Lego again? They now have more sets. 21115 Minecraft First Night, 31036 Creator Toy & Grocery Shop, and 70748 Ninjago Titanium Dragon all for $32.99 each. This is roughly a 17% discount from the $39.99 MSRP.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)