Author Topic: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 4/14)  (Read 56073 times)

Offline Phrubruh

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #45 on: February 10, 2006, 04:13 PM »
If you don't understand a custom, why not ask about it instead of being silent?

« Last Edit: February 10, 2006, 04:21 PM by Master_Phruby »
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Offline Nirvana

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #46 on: February 10, 2006, 05:15 PM »
Those are a really nice set of Predators there. I'm not familiar with the line but those are really cool. I loved the movies.

As for the clone thing, I do clones all the time and I get no feedback at RS...maybe because I make up my own designs and I don't beath the perverbial dead horse by doing all the movie commanders and the 501st...and none of my clones have helmets either. I just enjoy doing the hobby.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #47 on: February 10, 2006, 05:25 PM »
I agree that I kind of get burnt out on all the clones people were making, especially with all the horrible repaints that people threw on ebay trying to make an easy buck... it was a bandwagon thing that has started to die down some.  I like seeing variety in customs as much as the next person... I don't have a problem with some people only making clones, but I do admit it has frustrated me to see a clone repaint get tons of praise and feedback, yet totally original ideas and designs on other characters sometimes gets left out.  Oh well, here we have a pretty good balance I think.

 :P

Offline Darth_Ennis

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #48 on: February 10, 2006, 05:47 PM »
I agree that I kind of get burnt out on all the clones people were making, especially with all the horrible repaints that people threw on ebay trying to make an easy buck.

Amen to that.

I have always said that clones have their place. Hell, even I started out as a cloner. AS long as theyre done well, its great. But..... a lot of the times they really arent. BUt I still say that as long as people are customising SOMETHING everythings all good.

I hae a bunch of clones myself that I still do I just dont post them.

BUt enough about me. ;D

I love the predators. I have half thought about picking a few up myself. The AVP ones are just about the right scale for SW. They look a little big but then Preds should be.

I love the crossover stuff that you do, I am anxious to see that Underwater world stuff that you posted about earlier.

Offline Clone Hunter

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #49 on: February 10, 2006, 07:40 PM »
If you don't understand a custom, why not ask about it instead of being silent?



Most of the time it is a WTF possessed you to bother type of thing. Usually a fan character.
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Offline Fritzkrieg

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #50 on: February 10, 2006, 11:42 PM »
Great Workon those Predator Mods.

I've been eyeing these sets for a while now, I just did'nt know how to go about modifying them for use for anything more than just statues.

I'd love to see a diorama of these Guys tering into some Stormtrooper Ranks.

I love the Crossover Stuff, Keep it Up!
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Offline Spectre

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #51 on: February 12, 2006, 05:23 PM »
Updated the Yutja entry with some new pics of the Clan Elder and his lightsaber trophy :D
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Offline Gregorbian

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #52 on: February 12, 2006, 05:44 PM »
Nice work as usual Spectre.  I've been meaning to pick up some of those Predator figures for some customizing purchases (especially since they're so cheap at KB these days), but I haven't gotten around to it yet.  The way you repositioned the figures and repainted them really make them look terrific.  I did not realize they had so many POAs, it's too bad they don't have hip articulation. I think I might stick with my Microman Predator figures for now, but your Predator squad looks excellent.  I second the request for a pick of those Predators annihilating some Clones  ;)
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Offline Commander_Miseria

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #53 on: February 13, 2006, 10:44 PM »
I think some people just get the quick repaints mixed up with the people that actually put work into them. Even if it's not an original paint scheme it doesn't mean that it didn't take work to produce. Especially when you're looking to make a squad or something and need to reproduce the paint scheme several times. I put a lot of work into my commander gree and at some sites i got a lot of feedback people that liked, people that had suggestions, other stuff like that and i really appreciate it. Then at others i got the usual "cool" or i had 500 something views and 2 comments and thats okay too, but sometimes it discourages me from posting work. I think everyone just needs understand that clones are customs too if they're done by someone who is truly devoted and in it for the hobby and not for reproducing whatever makes money on ebay.


With that said...the predator with the claws thats leaning back a bit looks awesome. The position makes it look like he's giving a big roar right before he goes Ape Sh*t  :P
« Last Edit: February 13, 2006, 10:46 PM by Commander_Miseria »

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #54 on: February 13, 2006, 11:53 PM »
I'll add the site's POV in here that we don't allow or want true elitism...  Spectre's burnt out on Clones and I don't know he necessarilly meant anyone in particular (at least around these parts) with his point.  I'm a little burnt out on Clones myself and what more can I say about a nice paintjob on a CLone than "Hey, that's a nice paintjob".  :)  No offense to DD but when he does Clones I'm to that point with him because I can't find much criticism (never could), so I just tell him it was a good job and move onto something I'm more interested in that he made.

I dunno exactly how long everyone at our forum has been around this game really, but to not toot my horn tooooooo much I can safely say I have been in this since before the modern line existed and I was one of the earlier members of the old FFURG email list server days.  Back then the same kinda thing happened with astromechs, especially when they were in any abundance, and you got kind of burned out critiquing repainted astromechs unless it was a paintjob that really stood out in a crowd (a nicely done Red/White/Black R5 for instance). 

That's not to say anything should be taken away from good repaints though, and our site is based around tolerance here at JediDefender.com.  So if you really are burnt out on repaints it's probably just best not to cite them as a nuisance really and just ignore them when they come up...  Even if their threads get lots of replies while the 100% new sculpt and great paintjob doesn't. :)  That's just the whacky bit about this hobby, and I think some of it has to do with Clones being so readily available and so universally "understood" by more people in the hobby...  Clone repaints can be really complex or really simple, but if you don't like them at all then I'd just ignore them is what I'm trying to say, so no individual's work is demeaned in any way or there's no misunderstandings or anything.

I love Spectre's Predator figures and I've been doing similar stuff myself but really it's not customizing, I just have gotten the Hot Toyz Preds and putting them in my dioramas.  Now you wanna talk about Lazy, I'm it obviously! :)

Spectre's put a ton of work into repainting and rearranting the McFarlane (That's Mac right?) line you can get at TRU though.  I've been watching the sets to get some on clearance for parts myself, but not to use the figures for bases so much due to poseability.  I always thought they were limited but maybe I'm wrong there?  I'm not sure.

Anyway, what am I trying to say?

Oh yeah...  Basically, the repaint is an integral part to customizing...  It's probably the first thing most of us ever did, and astromechs burnt many of us out in 1996 or so just as much as Clones did in 2005 (myself included, seriously, but I still sometimes work on Clones myself just for ***** and giggles...  Still work on astromechs too, I'm goofy that way.  I like to spread the customizing love).  Chalk it up to availability of fodder, and lots of new people plus vets making their presence known with the flashiest of flashy repaints.

At the same time, don't be afraid to jump in and ask questions or talk up someone's work like SPectre's Predators here...  They're really nice and could even lend good fodder for something less Predator you're thinking of doing.  At the same time though, if you really don't want to, that's ok too...  Same with being burnt out on Clones is probably best to just ignore Clone updates then if it's just too boring for any of us.  Happens to me too so I know where everyone's coming from on it.

Hopefully,a s the line's diversity starts to spread out again, we'll see more diverse customs to go with it...  I think Clones, like astromechs, are going to be imbedded in the line whether we're for it or not though.  THey're like ticks and will be creeping into updates around the net I'm sure.  ;)  But that's good because new people have to start somewhere, and a Clone with a unique set of markings is a great place to start...  Just as my old vintage AT-ST Driver headswap with an Imp Officer head was my Star Wars start to customizing.  Those perhaps "easier" pieces of work will always have a focus in the hobby because it's where the new people have to start to get the hang of it...

And vets of course make that end of the hobby look like a slice of cake by producing paintjobs that match the films in the most exacting detail.  It's all about levels of experience and skill I guess.

Enjoy, and now I gotta go find these Predator sets on clearance, especially the ones with the skull/spine bits in them Spectre, those are great and none of the Hot Toyz figures came with trophies besides their necklace. :(
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Offline Darth Delicious

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #55 on: February 14, 2006, 04:42 AM »
Thanks, JJ, I think you really hit the nail on the head there.

I also appreciate that there's not too much to be said about clones anymore. When I post clones along with my other stuff, it's basically either because I designed a new, original paint scheme, or because I'm posting something else and basically go "Oh yeah, I did some clones too. See?"    :P

Spectre's Preds are really cool and I plan on doing some myself, although I have to say, the Microman stuff is a lot more fun to "play" with.

-DD
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Offline Phrubruh

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #56 on: February 14, 2006, 10:28 AM »
OMG!  :o Has it really been ten years since I started making figures? I feel so old.  :-\ Those astromechs where the reason I got into this. I miss our email listserve.  :'(
« Last Edit: February 14, 2006, 10:30 AM by Master_Phruby »
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Offline Spectre

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #57 on: February 14, 2006, 09:58 PM »
Jesse James hit the nail on the head- I'm just so burnt out on Clones that it gets frustrating seeing them all of the time, it gets to the point that I don't even want to visit the various customizing boards because I already know what I'm going to see when I get there. I never meant any offense to anyone here and you'll see that no one in articular was pointed out in my post, just a general sense of disappointment.  I just want to see something different and original every now and again. Seeing the same exact thing over and over again gets old after the first 50 times or so. If it wasn't for guys like Chewie (just to name an individual who's work that I really admire) still doing cstms from all walks of life in the Star Wars Universe, I would have stopped visiting long ago.

It's funny that you mention the Astromech explosion of 95/96 as I never really found them that annoying as most of the custom Astromechs at least looked different from each other. Sure, just about everyone tried their hand at the yellow R5 from Mos Eisley and the black Imperial Droids, but I also saw alot of diversity in the ranks as people went hog wild developing unique markings for their fan-fic droids. And then a year later, they all moved onto Mandalorians ;)

Hopefully, the Clones will eventually die down to a level that will be more tolerable and we'll see some of the newer customizers who cut their teeth on Clones move onto more diverse projects, which will be good for the longevity and health of the hobby :D

This weekend (most likely Saturday night/Sunday morning) look for an update to my "Brotherhood Of The Serpent" line (6 figures in a single update!) and (hopefully) weekly updates from now on as I am finally getting my Hobby Room set up in the new apartment :D
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Offline Clone Hunter

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Re: Spectre's Star Wars Crossover Customs (Updated 2/6)
« Reply #58 on: February 14, 2006, 11:16 PM »
They are on clearance at KB.

Enjoy, and now I gotta go find these Predator sets on clearance, especially the ones with the skull/spine bits in them Spectre, those are great and none of the Hot Toyz figures came with trophies besides their necklace. :(
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Offline Spectre

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The Brotherhood Of The Serpent: Copperheads
« Reply #59 on: February 19, 2006, 03:51 PM »
Field Report from Galactic Intelligence: Joint Operations Elite Field Commander, codenamed Stalker:

"When the Brotherhood Of The Serpent first reared their ugly heads, they were using Clone Wars-era battledroids as cannon fodder alongside their human Vipers. They presumably aquired them by finding one of the "lost" weapons caches the Seperatists seeded all across the outer and mid rims. The Brotherhood barely bothered to change their programming at all, just painted them blue, slapped one of their stupid snakehead symbol flimstiks on their chests and pointed them in our direction. Their thirty-plus year old processors were not sufficiently fast enough to adapt to the ever changing conditions on a modern battlefield. Nor was their armor up to the standards of modern Blastech firearms. Their only advantage was sheer numbers- the fact that even with their lousy targeting systems, with so many of them firing on you at once, one was bound to hit you.

In recent years, the older battledroids have pretty much disappeared from the Brotherhood's infantry, but you will still occasionally see them on routine patrols of low priority Brotherhood bases. In their place, we have begun seeing a new model of battledroid being utilized. These new models are larger, faster, better armored and better armed. Worse yet, they are smarter, capable of changing their tactics much more quickly to adapt to the changing tide of battle.

We have reason to believe that M.A.R.S. (Munitions Armor Robotics Systems) is manufacturing them for the Brotherhood, but we can not leagally prove anything. None of the deactivated or destroyed specimens we have captured have any form of manufacturing stamp nor serial numbers that we can trace to any possible manufacturer. And of course, Destro won't admit to anything.

While on an undercover mission inside the Brotherhood when these new models first appeared, Chuckles brought back the first technical readouts for our Intel team to study. These new droids are impresivly armored and very well armed. They carry a stripped-down heavy repeating blaster rifle with an underslung proton grenade launcher in place of a right arm. The power feed for the blaster comes strait from the droids on-board fusion reactor so as long as the droid has power, it can keep firing on it's targets. The proton grenade launcher has an internal twelve round magazine. There's even a heavy weapons variant that carries a full-sized proton torpedo in a shoulder-mounted launcher, which thankfully, does not show up on the battlefield in any kind of great numbers. Chuckles also brought back word that the human troops in the Brotherhood refer to them as "Copperheads" due to the high number of wires and circuits packed into their cranial cavities.

As dangerous as these Sithspawned droids are, we have received reports of an even deadlier model just now showing up leading squads of Copperheads in a Brotherhood raid on a colony in the outer rim. It seems that these droids are capable of predicting their enemies' tactics and adapting their strategy on the fly. It just never gets any easier...

Typical Copperhead:




Parts:
Body- VvV Wave 7 Overkill
Head- B.A.T. MK 4 modded w/ Wave 7 Overkill neck peg
Powerpack- Hi-Tech backpack

Heavy Weapons Variant:




Parts:
Body- DTC B.A.T. Attack Overkill
Head- B.A.T. MK 4 head modded w/ Overkill neck peg
powerpack- Hi-Tech backpack
Proton Torpedo Launcher- DTC B.A.T. Attack Overkill missile arm (heavily modded)

As you may have noticed, these droids are not nearly as heavily weathered as my usual customs. I did this purposely, not to be lazy, but to fit into my view of how Cobra likes to keep his property. I see Cobra as being incredibly arrogant and would want his troopers, droids, vehicles, etc. to appear in the best condition possible as a show of power to those he would try to subjugate.

These guys are a labor of love that I started over 6 months ago and just now had all of the necessary parts to complete :)

I made 6 of these guys:


There's a little detail that I'm very proud of, that unfortunately does not photograph very well due to the small size- these droids have an Aurebesch (the Star Wars written language) numerical designation on the upper right side of their powerpacks. I was only able to get one clear pic:

Here's droid #015

(As a little in-joke, the droids are numbered 004, 008, 015, 016, 023, and 042 :) )

For anyone interested, here's a look at the Aurebesch number key:
« Last Edit: February 19, 2006, 04:00 PM by Spectre »
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