Team Fortress 2- Sentries and dispensers

Here is another video game developed by Valve called Team Fortress 2.

Team Fortress 2 is a First Person Shooter developed by Valve (The same company that developed Portal 1 and 2). It doesn't really have a story line, but requires an internet server to play multi-player with others around the world. There are nine playable characters with different and unique personalities, traits, and characteristics that may or may not help you in the game. The characters are called, Scout, Soldier, Pyro, Demoman, Heavy, Engineer, Medic, and Sniper. Each character has it's own set of weapons to shoot. Players can choose to be in two different teams (red and blue). Their costume and weapons will be in their team colors while they play the game.

I have never played Team Fortress 2, but I find lots of interest in both Team Fortress 2 and Portal, which are great games by Valve. I basically looked at game footage, screenshots, and images online as reference to make these sentries.

In this specific post, the Engineer may build sentries, automatic defense systems which shoot on their own, and stay in one place. There are three stages or levels that a sentry can have. The dispenser is like a vending machine that allows any player to regain health or ammo (I think).

Stage 1 Sentry

Stage 2 Sentry

Stage 3 Sentry (Same as Stage 2 with the middle part)

Dispensers

Blue and Red teams' sentries against each other. 

Some people say Mac vs PC. How about Turret vs. Sentry.
(Turret from Portal 2)

Sentries focus their shots on Turret in the center

Portal 2: Updates, News, and More

I know I haven't been posting a while but school is my top priority. I have been building models of cool things, but I didn't have the time to post them. Thanks for your patience.

Missed out on my first Portal 2 project? Click here: http://4bricktime.blogspot.com/2012/05/portal-1-2.html

If you are not familiar with LEGO CUUSOO, it is a place where you can submit a model, recieve 10,000 votes from all around the world, and depending on how good and appropriate your idea is, the LEGO Company may make a model of your idea. You can check out more by clicking here: http://lego.cuusoo.com/

Before you get confused, I am NOT the creator of the idea "Thinking with Portals" on LEGO CUUSOO. My models may look the same, but that was because I was very inspired by the project so much, I wanted my own model. I continued my own Portal theme even though on LEGO CUUSOO, the LEGO Portal project recieved its 10,000 votes because if the LEGO company doesn't make the Portal sets, I have my own version.

Now... Let's get to my custom models...

The entire Portal line-up: Wheatley, Turret, Atlas, Potato version of GLaDOS, Chell, GLaDOS as a robot (Inside orange portal), P-Body, and Companion Cube.

The only differences were on the Co-op bots Atlas and P-Body. the legs are new to allow them to stand, and the arms are now using more detailed pieces. Atlas has his shoulders raised just like in the video game. 

GLaDOS as a robot on the stand. 

Back side has details. There is supposed to be a ring of white panels around the top of the robot, however I ran out of white and smooth 2x4 pieces to make the ring. 

Chell and her new portal gun with GLaDOS Potato on the operating end. 

Wheatley head can be interchanged with the GLaDOS head. Notice the stalemate button behind him. 

Tree House

With some time on the weekend, I was able to build something even with school in the way.

Here is a tree house. It uses a tree inspired by the LEGO Medieval Market Village with a small building on top. There is many details inside and outside the tree house.

Here is the tree house, a tan building with red roof and red outlines.

A string ladder can get you to the top.

A red sandbox with a sand castle, water moat, and water around.

There is a tire swing to have fun. It was built in a different way that the way you would use your tires.

The interior has a ladder, a table, and a treasure map to find treasure.

You can look closely at buildings and sights far away with the advanced telescope.

Use the winch to bring water up into the tree house easily.

The roof can easily be removed to allow playability inside the tree house.

Bring your girlfriend to the tree house...

♥ And gaze at the stars together. ♥

Big Spy Plane

Sorry for not posting for awhile. I will be going back to school soon. I know I will be very busy that year, and I'm afraid I won't be posting for a while. I will post something when I have time. I apologize for any long break that there is to come for the rest of this year, and next year.

Anyways, lets get to a model which is very much inspired by The Avengers, and based on a LEGO set that has already been out for a while: The Quinjet Aerial Battle Set.

I wanted to get one, but I had the pieces to make my own, and I wanted it to be a MOC (Popular LEGO term for My Own Creation). 

Here is the plane which is similar to the version in Avengers. Only the color scheme, and the design of the wings and engines are different.

The cockpits and middle section can be opened to allow easy access. The version sold by LEGO lacks this feature.

The wings have tiled details, and cannons.

The rear has an opening door for figures to get in or out.

This guy is proud to serve this nation!

An attachable string ladder can easily be attached on, making resuce missions easier.

Holding on for dear life!

This is a 6 second video about a pop up minigun. This feature was seen in The Avengers.

Helicopter with 4 sets of propellers

Here is a model which I don't know if it exists or not, but my imagination came up with the design.

You can see the shape of the helicopter is kind of like the LEGO Police Heavy Duty Helicopter, only this design  heavy duty in weapons.

The rear

All the propellers spin together by a simple gearing system beneath the  model.

The interior is split into 2 sections: Monitor room, and skydiving launch room. 

A closer look at the control panels.

I wanted to use strings in the model, but in LEGO Digital Designer, strings weren't available in the mode I was using. The chains will make do.

Mansion

Since I didn't post anything for quite a while, I decided to build something big. A lot of the details and style of the house is inspiration from Jaystepher; who can be seen on YouTube and Facebook.

This house contains 3 floors, 4 separate parts, and 4212 pieces (The biggest model in terms of number of pieces).

Here is a mansion. From far away it doesn't even look like it's made of LEGO bricks. Since it was made in LEGO Digital Designer, all the same colors of bricks are stuck together. The exterior has detailed corners, textured chimney, tucked in windows, and roof in the shape of an arch.

The interior of the first floor has a family room, corridor, kitchen, spiral staircase, tiled floors, and restroom.

Living room details include armchair, sofa, bookcase, TV, glass table, and piano.

corridor and kitchen details have a spiral staircase, drawers, stove,cupboards, and island in the middle of kitchen

The restroom has a toilet, and drawers.

Second floor details include balcony, angled walls, master bed and bathrooms, hallway, and guest bed and bathrooms.

Master rooms feature 6x6 bed, drawers cupboards, mirror (Hard to see), Dresser (Hard to see) and Chimney (Behind gray stonework).

Hallway includes rails, and small balcony to first floor.

Guest room has a bunk bed, and TV

Guest Bathroom has a toilet, sink, and bathtub.

The rear of the mansion has an angled wall. the roof follows the angle of the wall. 

Inside the very top floor is a bowling alley. with lots of fun to roll bowling balls into pins.  

Happy Birthday To the One Brick at a Time Blog

This blog is officially one year and two days old! Thank you everyone for visiting.

 

If you would like to see the status of the first year, I will give you the status of the audience and the most popular posts below.

Audience: 

We had people from over 20 countries, but the stats will only give me the first ten that have visited the blog the most. 

Place            Country                   Pageviews 

1st                United States             1,741

2nd               Russia                       87

3rd               Germany                   43

4th                Malaysia                   31

5th                Canada                     27

6th                United Kingdom        24

7th                France                      16

Tie for 7th     India                         16

8th                Austrailia                  13

Tie for 8th     Lebanon                   13          

                                         Total    2,132

There was a variety of browsers, but I will only give you the top 4 mainly because the others are very low in percentage. 

Place            Browser                    %

1st               Google Chrome         44

2nd              Mozilla Firefox          33

3rd              Internet Explorer        12

4th              Safari                         5

5th              Other                         6

We also had a variety of devices that went to One Brick at a Time. I will give you the top 4 mainly because the others are very low in percentage.

Place           Device                              %

1st              Microsoft Windows           90

2nd             Macintosh                         3

3rd              iPad                                 2

4th              Linux                                1

5th              Other                               4

Now for the most popular posts:

Place               Title of Post                                        

1st                  Hanging Gardens of Babylon

2nd                Public Transport Station Tram Modification Version 2

3rd                 LEGO Tiananmen Square 1989

4th                 Posting Postponed for a day               <---------------------Who actually reads that?

5th                 Half of an A-Frame house

6th                Mindstorms NXT Turret

7th                Party House

8th                LEGO Public Transport Station Tram Modification 

9th               Camper Trailer and Modification

10th             9/11 Memorial Fountain

Thank you all for coming. Let a new year of LEGO creations come about. Thank you again, and stay tuned for more from the One Brick at a Time blog. 

Public Transport Station Tram Modification Version 2

Here is a better way to motorize the tram from LEGO Set #8404 Public Transport Station.

This mod doesn't require you to change the shape of the tram, or extend anything; however, if you are using Battery Box #8881 (The one with the holes to fit in LEGO Technic snaps), then removal of the roof, or extending the top will be necessary.

You can see the shape of the tram is the same; except for the right side of the tram. The battery box is too tall, so I used parts of the roof to dress the top as best as I can. If you use Battery Boxes 8878 or 88000 (Basically the ones that fit in LEGO bricks.), then the roof can be kept on. I don't have those battery boxes; therefore, I cannot keep the roof.

Here you can see the modification I made using the Technic beams, axles, gears, and a universal joint. The rubber wheels give the tram traction when going along the track. I added rubber bands on the wheels to make them thicker

Here are the ball joints and the universal joints between the two cars. Behind the 24 tooth gear is a small LEGO motor. The motion from the motor is transferred through the gears, through the universal joint, and through the last couple of gears, which turn the wheels. 

The LEGO Technic battery box is too tall to fit inside. I used parts of the original roof to keep the same style. 

Overall, this mod isn't difficult. To take it a step further, you can integrate the Power Functions IR Receiver (8884), the IR Speed Remote Control (8879), and the Light Set (8870). I'll make another post on motorizing the tram with remote controls if I can get my hands on them. Out of all the modifications of motorizing the tram I've seen on YouTube, they all required the pre-made train motor (8866 or 88002), which required them to extend the tram to accommodate the motor.

Here is a couple videos of the tram going up a 12.8 degree slope:

This video is sideways. Please turn turn your head clockwise 90 degrees for the best viewing angle.