Author Topic: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.  (Read 97439 times)

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #360 on: April 26, 2007, 12:47 AM »
Not knocking anyone's vehicles, just being honest.

Personally, I like seeing custom vehicles that look more like Star Wars vehicles that aren't easily recognizeable as GI JOE or other military vehicles.... to me, just a repaint of something like this would make for a more realistic one man ship -





I really am not that big of a fan of the Joe water mocassins converted into Star Wars speeders, not that they aren't made well, they just scream GI JOE to me... and the new ship really looks like a painted up CORPS! ship.  Is that what it is?  It's not a bad custom by any means, just seems like it's not Star Wars... and the landing pad would be great, if we had the spaceport still, but that got taken out a while back due to the size we had to stick with for the diorama... just my two cents.

Remember, the leaders on site will have the power to not show something and nobody should take that personally.  This could happen to ANY SINGLE ONE OF US.  There could end up being TOO much stuff received, and choices have to be made as to what looks best on site.

So, if you send something and it's not displayed, please don't feel offended.  This was decided when the project first began in discussions and was made public.

 :P

Offline Fritzkrieg

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #361 on: April 26, 2007, 01:33 AM »

Look at the variety we've seen in the films





« Last Edit: April 26, 2007, 01:36 AM by Fritzkrieg »
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #362 on: April 26, 2007, 01:54 AM »
Yeah there's been variety, heck a ton of it in the prequels.  I guess I'm looking at this as more of an OT era type thing which is why I showed those two POTF2 vehicles as examples.

Heck, one of the vehicles I'm sending really doesn't look Star Wars that much, at least not in my opinion... maybe it sort of does but I'm not sure -



If it gets left out, that's ok by me.  There might not really even be room for it.

We do have a couple similar to those actually too by the way -





 :P

Offline patreektherodian

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #363 on: April 26, 2007, 07:45 AM »
So leaders what shall it be?  I thought customizing was all about taking something and making it better. Too GI Joe Too Pirates too Smurfy? We should call this modeling. What's wrong with corps I chopped of the nose and wings added panels like tie or EIII jedi fighters.

Offline PenDragon

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #364 on: April 26, 2007, 08:17 AM »
... if we had the spaceport still, but that got taken out a while back due to the size we had to stick with for the diorama....

It too bad we'll be without a space port - considering that we got so much space from Niubs.   :'( Sadness.

Not to slight Chewie (you ought to know by now that I respect you opinion, Justin my man, and can see where you're coming from), but I dig the ship. Granted, I don't really care about the CORPs body, and in my most humble ( ;D ) opinion, the city could use some more color - fer instance, your ship & Elmeaux's brass building.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2007, 08:20 AM by PenDragon »

Offline Fritzkrieg

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #365 on: April 26, 2007, 09:38 AM »
So, if I was plannig on a Speeder with a nice Flame Job, I should scratch it?

The problem is, if we stick with painting every vehicle in Grey scale, we won't be able to tell civillian craft from the millitary craft. I work a lot with color and fashion at my job, I know you wouldn't think Optical work involved much fashion, but I am responsable for picking new Frame lines to put in our stores. It's very important to have contrasting colors. Contrasting colors catch the eye. A lot of times I'll buy frames in very striking colors just to catch a customers eye and bring there focus on the product line I'm trying to market. Sure they'll usually by something in Black or Tortise but the striking color served it's purpose in catching the customers attention. If everthing is dull and muted in color all the detail will be lossed to the casual passer by. This was one of the reasons I wanted custom troopers in the project. They grab the attention of on lookers. Sure we as customizers and Dio makers can appreciate the finer details, but most of the people who are going to see this do not customize, infact this may be there first exsposure to the hobby. I remeber the first time I was introduced to the world of Star Wars customizing. It was my freshman year at UCF in Orlando I went to the FX show with a Frat brother whom collected vintage Joes and Anime. As I was walking by a booth, a bright spot of orange (Contrast) caught my eye on a vintage Stromtrooper and next to it a Colbolt Blue face stared back at me from a White Vitage Imperial Commanders body (Again Contrast). Both customs were very amature by our current standards, but they caught my eye and sparked renewed interest in a hobby I had not thought about since I was 12, switching around Joe parts. And can you guess what the first Poft2 Customs were that I made, Stormtroopers with decal sticker to add Contrast to my little Army squad of 5 Stormtroopers.
   
Fritzkrieg

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #366 on: April 26, 2007, 11:42 AM »
I didn't mean anything against color selection at all - in fact I like the green metallic look and agree there should be some more colorful pieces in the diorama.  I just was referring to more of a design standpoint... I guess that when I see something that I can easily tell came from GI JOE or CORPS, it loses a bit of the Star Wars feel for me.  But, I'm not going to be on site to argue with anyone.   ;)

Anyways, with color schemes, here's a couple of speeders that have more colorful designs for reference - these look great to me because they have a very Star Wars feel to them -





 :P

Offline patreektherodian

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #367 on: April 26, 2007, 11:50 AM »
My last post said Leaders. Who is the leader and what does that person think

Offline Fritzkrieg

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #368 on: April 26, 2007, 12:06 PM »
Chewie,
Those are great examples of Civilian Speeder paint jobs. Although they do look a little too toyish for my taste. The funny thing about what we consider a Starwarsy speeder does'nt really make cut it in a more realistic enviroment. It seems about 80% of the population of the Star Wars universe rides around in sporty 2 seaters. Where are the sudans, trucks, and SUVs. I guess if you've got a load to carry in the Star Wars Universe you better get yourself a Bantha or Ronto.

LOL
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #369 on: April 26, 2007, 12:35 PM »
My last post said Leaders. Who is the leader and what does that person think

Technically I am one of the "leaders" and I did tell you what I think and so did Ryan.  There's no reason to get mad about it if someone isn't 100% in favor of an item that has been made for the project - we've tried to be 100% honest and fair in every aspect of this project.  If you want to send the CORPS vehicle, I have no problem with it.  But if by chance it were to be decided by the guys on site that there wasn't a suitable place for it, then that's the way it is.  There will be a few "gametime decisions."

Basically, I wouldn't be surprised at all if the people on site might have to keep a few things from being on display for the diorama.  If we by chance run out of room or things start looking over crowded - then not everything can be displayed in the diorama.  If something sticks out like a sore thumb and brings down the rest of the scene, it's not going to be displayed. 

I am in no way trying to disrespect anyone's work... but if for example, someone sends in figures that look like this -



Or like this -



They simply aren't going in the diorama.  Fortunately things have been to a higher grade so far that we've seen. 

Anyways, Fritz - I agree that in Star Wars most people do seem to ride around in two seaters or the like.  There should be more small transports that can carry more than a couple riders.  Those ones that Owen made could use a bit of weathering on them I think... I think they were custom commissions he made for someone that wanted them "new" looking.  I prefer a little more "worn" look too.

 :P

Offline Ryan

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #370 on: April 26, 2007, 02:01 PM »
I didn't mean anything against color selection at all - in fact I like the green metallic look and agree there should be some more colorful pieces in the diorama.  I just was referring to more of a design standpoint... I guess that when I see something that I can easily tell came from GI JOE or CORPS, it loses a bit of the Star Wars feel for me. 

And that really is what I meant too. Colorful landspeeders, skyhoppers, or the like would be great. Color contrast IS a good thing. The thing is if you have a contrasting piece you want it to contrast for the right reasons and you have to make sure you want it to even stand out in the first place. Not comparing Patreek's speeder to this, but just as a for instance, I could eat nothing but spinach for an entire day, take a dump and it would bring some color contrast to the diorama. But that wouldn't exactly be something we'd want to draw attention to, or even have anywhere near the diorama.

So leaders what shall it be?  I thought customizing was all about taking something and making it better. Too GI Joe Too Pirates too Smurfy? We should call this modeling. What's wrong with corps I chopped of the nose and wings added panels like tie or EIII jedi fighters.

Thanks for the support guys. I was actually going for something that did stand out. Like a Miata crossed with a Delorian. I want the pilot to have a smug smile. I wanted comething none military (low weponry). I believe this is a planet with lots of commings and goings so I would asumed that deviation from some of the drab colors (which are also cool). The platform is not painted and I thought it would have gone within the city as an extension of somebodie's Hovel. I seemed to recal an awesome speeder made out of a GI'Joe Water Mocasin. This is customising right? where we take something we don't need and turn it into something different and cool?

Patreek, I'm not denying that your speeder is a custom, or even relating it to fecal matter, it is a good CORPS custom, but that's all it is. Just because something has been customized and the customizer likes Star Wars doesn't make it is a Star Wars custom, especially not a good Star Wars custom. If I did a head swap and repaint on a GiJoe, it would still be a GiJoe. It isn't easy to mix fodder from other lines and get it to look "Star Warsy." It certainly is doable, as Fritz, CHEWIE, Brent, and loads of others prove regularly. The thing is for every piece that works there are 20 that don't. The CORPS line is one of those for me. I think I maybe have seen one or two vehicle customs that I have ever liked that used those as a base. And the figures, short of a droid head here and there, are hideous. The problem with paramilitary lines, ala Joe and CORPS, is that they often don't blend with Star Wars at all. The metallic green color in this case seals the deal for me. I suggested the dull colors because I think they would help camouflage the fact that it is a CORPS vehicle a bit and help it blend in more, while still including it in the diorama. I'm afraid that as is it will draw to much attention and it doesn't have the look we really want to draw attention to.

Brent's custom using this same vehicle, the one used in his PNs, is really the only one of these I've ever liked. He used enough other fodder, like the droid head to bring it closer to a Star Wars ship, and then used more of a matte blue and white to further hide it.

If you really want to include this try re-painting it and maybe even re-tooling it a bit. And then we will see. As is though I don’t think it will make the cut.
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Offline Famine

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #371 on: April 26, 2007, 02:15 PM »
For what it's worth, I'm thinking it doesn't fit in with the current scheme we have for the city.

Kevin
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Offline PenDragon

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #372 on: April 26, 2007, 03:00 PM »
My last post said Leaders. Who is the leader and what does that person think

Technically I am one of the "leaders" and I did tell you what I think and so did Ryan. 

VERY technically, so am I. And tho I may not get much of a say on what gets included, I'll be on site for a good deal of time. ;)
« Last Edit: April 26, 2007, 03:01 PM by PenDragon »

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #373 on: April 26, 2007, 03:38 PM »
Yes you defiitely are Pen.   Didn't mean to imply anything different. :)

 :P

Offline BrentS

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Re: UGP Custom Figures and Vehicles thread.
« Reply #374 on: April 26, 2007, 03:45 PM »
For what it's worth, I'm thinking it doesn't fit in with the current scheme we have for the city.

Kevin

Well, I for one like the Speeder - I think it looks cool.  Sure its recognizable as a CORPS vehicle but it still has some nice touches (love the tail lights).  However, in the end I really agree most with Kevin (GASP!) that it probably doesn't match the overall theme we have with the city.  The buildings all really are drab and desolate like a city really coming under imperial grips.  The bright flashy vehicles would probably stick out too much.  In the early concept drawings with the space port and the high social class buildings I could easily see this fitting in.