Brick Fest Live - Pasadena

 This was a typical Brick Fest Live.  Here is the setup process.

And here is the downside for this year.  All the show locations now use the plastic, fold in the middle 8 foot tables.  As you can see later, there is a large discontinuity in the middle where the fold is.  Additionally these tables can't support the weight and will sag in the middle causing an even larger discontinuity at the table interface.  In the past, the 8 foot tables were the solid wood top with the metal reinforcing rim around the bottom.  This is something I need to work on for next year.

 

As in the past, the process is is to start at one end assemble the slices one at a time.  The power is checked on each slice before assembly.  Don't want to find out there is an issue when the whole display is assembled.

On the Friday before when we are setting up, we generally get it mostly done.  But there is still some last minute detailing.  The venue opens at 8AM for the Displayers and to the public at 9AM.  So in that one hour I will go around and just add/correct last minute detailing.

Here you can see the back of the Space outpost.  

And the show opens.

Disassembly takes about half the time of setup.  Generally when the show closes at 4PM, we are on the road by 6:30PM, if not sooner.

Also here is a link to YouTube video of a vlog from a family.  Not endorsing anything they say, but it gives a good overview of the event.

Brick Fest Live 2024 in Pasadena

Space Outpost SL ONE - Updated Storyline

 Here is the updated over arching story line

In a Galaxy far far away, the great Blacktron empire built this outpost on a small dwarf planet on the Outer Rim to defend their empire from the raiders.  But now they have discovered the powerful CHRYSANTHEMUM STONES that will supply infinite power to the empire.  As the processing facility is prepared for operation, SL ONE is now the most important outpost in the Blacktron Empire.

But……………….The native inhabitants of the planet are not happy with the Blacktron Empire invading their planet and more importantly harvesting the CHRYSANTHEMUM STONES. 

 

 

Detailing the Plateau (Right Side) Part 2

 Now that the tera forming is done, then I started adding the detail.  In general the "rainy times" ended a while ago.  Thus we have plants that are still growing, but some are beginning to die out.  Thus the use of olive green and brown plants.

There is no magic here.  Randomness is the order of the day.  I have piles of each type of plant and just start placing them.  I will put some of the stones in first, since I need a pace for a worker with a scanner.  Other than that I slowly work across one section at a time.  I find that working on an entire module simultaneously, it improves the randomness. When i tried to sweep across a module, there seemed to be some repeating happening.

Detailing the Plateau (Right Side) Part 1

Now the other side of the center area.  This is the same idea as the left side.  One difference is the end of this section is over the space port, so additional detail was required.

The first steps is to place tiles on the areas that will be the bottom of terrain.  Then plates where the raised terrain will be.  The plates and tiles are the same level.  Then on top of the plates will be the wedge plates that make the raised terrain and create some irregularity in the edges.

On the end that overlooks the space port, a little more was done.  This will eventually have some cliff work that will provide a sloping finish, so the idea that it goes on does not exist here.  Thus the end of the raised terrain has a rounded finish.

This side will have the "bling" that we get at various shows.  

This picture and the next set show the tiling of the raised terrain.  Plus going back and placing jumper plates and normal plates so that there are studs for attachment.

As on the other side, I have used dark tan, olive green and medium nougat tiles to breakup the monolithic tan look

The last two pictures are the finished look, before final detailing.  One other item that is not obvious.  

There are eight modules in each side, as shown.  The cliff and the platform behind it, times 4 sections.  These are held together with Plate, Modified 1 x 4 with 2 Studs.  

The above pictures show the part and where they are.  These are done in dark tan so that they are easy to spot.  During disassembly looking for where the connection in is a sea of tan, was getting too difficult.  When they are pulled out, they are placed on the top of the platform on any available stud.  Then during assembly it is much easier to spot these parts.

 

 

Detailing the Plateau (Left Side) Part 2

 

In the previous post I talked about the tera forming of the plateau. This means using wedges, plates and tiles to generate some relief to the plateau.

Now that the tera forming is done, then I started adding the detail.  In general the "rainy times" ended a while ago.  thus we have plants that are still growing, but some are beginning to die out.  Thus the use of olive green and brown plants.

Interspersed are the Chrysanthemum stones.  As we move along the top of the plateau you will see workers looking for stones that are mature and ready for harvest.  These can be distinguished from normal workers by the different space helmet with the large visor.  Some of them will have a scanning device to further determine the state of the stone.

There are also maintenance workers, as shown above, working on the new ore processing facility. 

These two show the exercise field, though today's participants have not shown up yet.