[Lego] Borderlands 2 in Lego® - Constructor - Take 6! [Work In Progress]

Return back to Project Overview.

As promised, together with my update about the Hailfire Droid earlier today, here's the update post about the Constructor! There has been a handful of changes, especially in the form of consistency...

First of all, I would like to show an interesting fact that only recurring readers might know about my projects. I actually mention this in order to explain something about the consistency of several functions of the Constructor.

I do redesign the model several times. This also includes for my Hailfire Droid. This means that the current one you see is far from the original model I've built. A redesign of the model can either be the entire body, or just a part of it. Redesigns can also be a simple structure, mechanism or piece substitute. So the design process of my Constructor can be split in two "design cycles"; the first being the "original body" while the second is the "redesign body". Which basically means I've entirely disassembled the original body and created the redesigned one in about half a day. As you can see on the image above, there's a lot of the Constructor I actually don't show on my blog... I won't go there anymore consider I've explained it here (bottom paragraph) already.

Building a model like this is pure trial and error to me. I know how to build it when I just look at several images. How I have to build it exactly is just a matter of trying out things. I don't draw how to build something, I don't use notes at all or any digital software (in example, LDD). It all just comes naturally and spontaneous whenever I start with a pile of pieces. Basically I start with having something in mind and after a short while I have a proof of concept to present. After that I start perfecting the model consider I'm highly aware of all the flaws my model would have at that point.
A model is finished whenever it feels finished to me.

I would only use notes or digital software for projects that I would make in the future (in example, MK. 4 and MK. 5) purely to give my (often restless) mind some rest.

Back to the actual changes, shall we?

[Lego] Work in Progress: STAR WARS™ Hailfire Droid - Take 5

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Yes, I know that it has been almost 9 months since my last Hailfire Droid update, dammit! Believe me, I don't like to see the update posts for my MK projects being frozen for months either. I haven't been able to work on the Hailfire and Constructor shaping that much lately. This is mainly because I lack several pieces and I still need a few months before I start ordering again, so bear with me. But I can tell you that other important properties like consistency have been improving.

You might not see it from the outside, but the balancing of driving has been improved several times as well. Don't worry if you can't see it, that was actually done on purpose. Eventually you won't see the inside of the Hailfire Droid anymore when it's finished. The first few adjustments compared to the previous update was needed, especially in preparation for the LEGO® Inside Tour.

In example, you won't see all the structures and battery box on the back when it would be all covered up. As you might have noticed on the front, several holes in the wheel chassis have been covered up already. They are not entirely finished and slightly fragile, but that's because there's still some specialized parts and colours that I need to order before it would be ready. The design standard of the cover is finished on paper, it's just a matter of ordering to copy the build several more times.

Another thing that I've adjusted recently was the sides of the wheel chassis itself. I finally found a proper way to build on the sides of the model, so I start building some structural parts that I will use as a starting point for the covers. I've also adjusted some ways how I've kept the chassis clutched together, despite it was already physically impossible to tear it open with my hands without breaking any pieces, it still had a few parts (especially in the middle) in the build that might get loose from long-term driving. A handful of gears have also been swapped, consider LEGO® has released plenty of different types of gears over time, including redesigning their latest ones. Despite the Hailfire Droid wheels using the more (older) sharp-edged gears, driving it by the redesigned gears with round edges actually does improve the driving behavior compared to using the sharp-edged ones instead.

Phew, that's it for this post at least. The Work In Progress update for the Constructor will appear soon enough, so keep an eye on it if you are interested! Until next post!

[EMS] Lionheart Battle Boots - Star Force Enhancements

Hi guys! The Star Force update has arrived a few days ago. Consider my only finished scrolled equip that's ready for enhancement is my Lionheart Battle Boots, I gave it a try.

I decided to leave the amount of enhances to 10 (stars) for now. Free Market is being unstable because of the enormous mesos drain so I would like reduce my spendings to a minimum for a while. I might upgrade it a few more times later, but keep in mind I don't like risking equipment to a destruction rate so I would prefer using Protection Scrolls for even the littlest chance of that.

Eventually Protection Scrolls won't work, so I would need to have several backup shoes in that case... but let's say I am very satisfied with 10 stars as well. The only equip that really needs to have the maximum amount of possible stars would be my Ribgol haha.

The bonuses per enhancement might not seem that high, in example +2 STR and +2 DEX per upgrade, but keep in mind: if you succeed ten of them, you actually gain quite some stats in total...

I'm still working on the Flame of Reincarnations on my equips, consider the Bonus Stats for my shoes are fixed and doesn't rely on total stats. Hence why I could enhance the shoes immediately. Unlike my Ribgol Sword, that has to have a specific amount of Weapon Attack to gain more per enhancement.

Of course, as mentioned before in my previous update post about my Lionheart Battle Boots, I'm still aiming for Self Combat Orders so the Potential will change in the future. Which also is related to this post about my Inner Ability.

Interesting fact: this is my only enhanced equipment I currently use on Rayque.

About the Star Force update though, I'm quite satisfied with the Hero improvements.
It's good to see "Monster Magnet" being back. When Monster Magnet had been removed a year ago and was substituted by Combo Force I was slightly unhappy that it would now required one Combo Orb to cast. Sure, the amount of hits was doubled (even with damage reduction that's an upgrade for sure) and the amount of monsters that would be pulled went to 8 (starting from 6), but Monster Magnet was an important tool to use because of its reach and stun chance (which was 100% rate).

Having 80% Stun Rate instead and thus 80% chance to not consume a Combo Orb, seemed fair. You would still need one Combo Orb in order to use it. The higher the group of monsters that were hit, the more chance you had to not consume a Combo Orb (consider every monster had an individual 80% rate). However, that disables Combo Force to become spamable to one point (in example when you missed an enemy through miss rate, low amount of spawn or unlucky aim) - having 80% Stun Rate doesn't guarantee Chance Attack to activate as well. Sure, I did adapt to it very quickly and I'm now used to it.

However, the Star Force Update removed the Combo Orb requirement and made it count as a regular attack (like Rush and Shout). It doesn't require Combo Attack to be Toggled On, which is great. However, unlike most of our attacks - which has 80% to charge a Combo Attack no matter how many enemies are applied to the attack (due to Combo Synergy), Combo Force will charge an Orb with any of the enemies that get stunned. Which is by the way great! Since RED our Combo charge rate has been dropped from 100% to 80% (with some new notable charge-features as a trade), it's interesting to see to have a skill that charges up Combo's more quickly than our other attacks. I would like to see that guaranteed charge (and/or stun) rate once again, but I don't expect it to be soon if it happens.

The new Rage Uprising cooldown (from 30 to 10 seconds) is something I'm very happy with. It bothered me during the initial release of Hyper Skills a few years ago that it had 30 seconds, if you would compare it to other classes that have a similar type of move. I know that it was traded by having better passive Hypers on Hero and that we virtually don't need ultimates (because our mobbing is already hefty and most ultimates slows your total mobility down). It will be a welcomed addition with spamming Puncture to me.

I can't deny that because I play Hero that often that I have to get used to the "new" Combo Force and Rage Uprising's cooldown. Self Recovery's upgrade is also a valuable change in my view, even if I don't really see the difference, because you know, I barely lose HP at the maps I often go - even before the revamp. Heh.

That's it for now guys. I'll see you next post!

[YT] Scheduled recording maintenance (12th June 2015)

The Rayque3 Staff will perform a scheduled recording maintenance on the 12th of June. Rayque from the Rayque3 Staff will not be available through any contact possible during the maintenance. The recording maintenance will start near 8:00 CEST and is expected to end near 1:00 CEST on the next day.
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Update (12th of June 2015)

Done! The scheduled recording maintenance has been finished. Thank you for your patience.
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Update (12th of June 2015)

Regarding early finished preparations, we will start the scheduled recording maintenance at 6:00 AM.
This also means that the recording maintenance is most likely to end earlier than 1:00 AM on the 13th of June.
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Scheduled recording maintenance
Date: 12 June 2015 ~ 13 June 2015
Time: 8:00 ~ 1:00 CEST (8:00 AM ~ 1:00 AM CEST)
Time: 6:00 ~ 23:54 CEST (6:00 AM ~ 11:54 PM CEST)
Expected upload date video: Summer 2015

What am I doing to myself!?

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We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause in advance.
Thank you for your understanding.

The Rayque3 Staff

[EMS] Traits: Level 100 Willpower!

About damn time. It has been too long ago since my last blogpost about MapleStory Europe.
There hasn't been some "blog-worthy" things in the past two months; sometimes news just dry up (it has occurred several times in the past few years that I'm blogging).

I can tell you that I've been working on a "slight" Ribgol upgrade, however I'll have to wait until that's kind of finished until I'll share it on my blog. I don't know when it's finished, but I don't want to post something about the first half of the upgrade when the second can be like tomorrow or in a few weeks right? And of course, I'm still working on my Inner Ability... however no success yet (see Spoiler below).

As you can see above: holy whack that's quite some frenzy amount of Honor EXP I've been collecting T__T

Back on topic - I managed to get Level 100 Willpower, finally! For the people who are like "But Ray, why did it take you that long?" - I do take my time for it. I don't really like rushing these kind of things.

Willpower is in my view one of the most interesting Traits that the game has to offer. I'm looking especially at the Status Resistance it increases, which can be a real treat for people who also have obtained Level 10 Cygnus Blessing. Having both together gives a huge increase of 45% Status Resistance...

As usual, I left out the other irrelevant details for this blogpost for private reasons

Having Level 10 Cygnus Blessing, Level 100 Willpower, a Level 100 Demon Slayer card (S-Rank) and my 3rd Job Skill Endure, I have a total of 78% (!) Status Resistance.
 

I also would like to see my Empathy being increased a bit more for the Buff Duration, but I'm afraid that will be the last Trait to reach Level 100. Having "free" stat bonuses that doesn't take any other slots (in example, Potential or Inner Ability) is always nice to have. Hey, for now at least I have two Level 100 Traits. Four to go!

That's it for today guys. I'll see you again next post! As before, I'm sorry for the lack of EMS updates. Sometimes the news is just dry. Don't expect me to quit EMS. If I would, you probably would've read it on my blog. As long as there's nothing mentioned, you should still be able to find me in-game or expect something to read on this blog~

[Lego] Black light - 70738 Final Flight of Destiny's Bounty

Set #70738, under UV Black light. In a rather recent post, I mentioned I might try to capture larger sets under UV. See this as a small practice to photograph those larger ones.

Why is Wrayth in the top left corner of that picture?


The set under Black light looks gorgeous doesn't it? I really appreciate the summer wave of Ninjago having so much of these ghoul-themed sets that uses rare colours. It also introduces the first pair of Transparent Neon Green legs! I appreciate the little glowing lantern detail on the boat; it uses Transparent Medium Blue to achieve that, which is a slightly rare colour to see.

Here's an image with the minifigures separated from the boat by the way.

Note the new little Ribgol-like minifigure weapon, haha.

For people who have been reading my blog for several years now, they might remember I actually own the original Destiny's Bounty as well. In my view, the newer one is a much better value, as a toy but also as a set for Adult Fans of LEGO® itself.

It has improved several flaws of the original Destiny's Bounty, including some sturdiness issues and the transformation feature itself. I appreciate the balance between the Ninja and Ghost Army in this set. Yes, the dragon isn't as large as the Morro Dragon - but I think that the size of the Wyvern (including the claws and the tail) is believable enough to injure the boat severely. As the name of the set describes, escaping from a flying ghost army and a Wyvern won't be that easy...

That's it for today guys. I'll see you next post!

[YT] Third 200.000 viewed video!

What a surprise! (Hint: it's not)

Our third 200.000 viewed video is the Kirby's Return to Dreamland - All Mini/Main/EX Bosses.

Talking about Kirby; it seems that The Crystal Shards - All main bosses might need a few weeks more before it hits 100.000.

That's it for today. I'll see you guys again next post!