Thanks for the feedback guys.
This thing is bigger than it looks in the renderings - I keep going back to where I taped out the floor to see how a ship will fit on a certain platform and what kind of clearance different ground vehicles need.
One thing I am worried about is how my son will be able to reach parts of the station interior. I'd rather he not climb onto it - the levels will need to be bullet proof as it is.
Just a thought, but how about reducing the base area (if that was a concern) by making it three levels high instead of two. Also, why not run the monorail from the base to the upper level, it might emphasize the playsets elevation and the monorail itself. Just throwing some ideas out there, Owen D
It's kind-of three levels - but the third is pretty minimal. Only the upper monorail station has a third floor. BTW - those are elevator cars in between the arched monorail supports - that's another play feature I kept from the original, except I put it on both sides.
I'm planning to have a base for it that has openings for storage containers. I'd like the height of what looks like the ground level here to be about the height of the AT-AT door off the floor. That way, the Imperials can walk up and unload troops into the city, and I have extra room to store all the parts and pieces that are out of play rotation.
I tried having the monorail end at the ground level, but the angle of the rail cut into too much of one of the platforms. I was also worried about my son getting carried away with gravity and the car if the slope was too great.
Also, I have to say that I feel pretty stupid and out of my league after seeing your 3D design Dean Paul.
BTW - what's the blue tube thing? A transport device or something?
I've been doing environmental design for 10 years now. I studied theater design and industrial design at two different universities, and I'm starting to hit a professional stride as a trade show / retail / museum interpretive designer. I've been using FormZ since 1997, so I'm pretty familiar with it.
It's based on the monorail from the Women's Day magazine. The blue tube will be two 1/8" wall thickness half spheres with a 6" cylinder between them - like a Tylenol capsule. It's got a side opening and a floor - I'm thinking about making some benches for the inside of it so figures can sit down like on the subway or a tram.
Deanpaul is one word. I wasn't aware of this either till 2 weeks ago.
Thanks Kevin. No worries about the name. I've seen/heard it all. The internet is weird when it comes to user names and spelling anyway, but Deanpaul is actually my real world name.