[YT, Lego] Just a small reminder: Introducing Project Overviews

Hi guys! Perhaps some of my frequent readers might have found out: I've created Project Overviews for each of my MK Project.

Starting from some advice from a friend of mine a few months ago, he mentioned as a frequent reader he lacked some sort of archive between blogposts of the same project. Acknowledging the fact that it has been an issue for me as well - and thinking wrong that "Search This Blog" would suffice enough - I took an effective method I've been using outside of this blog in order to clean things up.

Every MK has its own Project Overview; which gives short-but-hopefully-to-the-point information about every project, including a blog archive. This also makes it much easier for me, as hopefully for the reader as well, to keep things organized.

I tried to keep things to-the-point to avoid these overviews to become too expansive. Perhaps in case I would ever want to add more information, it would be wise to make a separate blogpost for that, and refer it in the archive.

In addition to this update, every individual blogpost has a "return button" in the shape of a Hyperlink at the top of each post - which makes it also easier to get back to the archive and information.

That's it for this small blogpost. I'll see you guys again next time!

[EMS] 100% Critical Rate with Enrage!

Hi guys! The Black Heaven update has just hit EMS with plenty of new things to do.
With the Boss Honor Medals being available at the bosses I defeat daily, there'll be finally some more proper progress for getting those last two Ability lines. Stay tuned for that, I'm pretty curious when I'll hit the next desired line!

So, in preparation for the Maple Ice & Burn update that usually comes after the Black Heaven update, I planned to level my (before Black Heaven created) Mechanic class for the new Skill Link that would come later. Having plenty of event coupons from the "Level-Milestone" based events (in example, obtain some rewards for Level 30, Level 90, Level 110, ect), I managed to get my Mechanic to Level 130 for the event gift - which was a "Grand Adventure Ring".

So, practically, the Grand Adventure Ring gives identical stats to the Pivotal Adventure Ring. At first I thought it was another Pivotal Ring and I expected all of them to have their name changed from Pivotal to Grand with this update. But when I looked further, it seemed to be a different item with just identical stats.

I knew from testing out the Zero Gratias Ring (which is another identical ring as for stats), it couldn't be equipped simultaneously with the Pivotal Adventure Ring. But as most Critical Rings from events, I just transfer them to my Hero - in case that feature that blocks simultaneous equipping would be removed in the future. So, as usual, I did that with the Grand Adventure Ring - transfered it from my Mechanic to my Hero. But man, I was kind of surprised.

Long story short: I've been able to wear the Critical Adventure Ring, the Pivotal Adventure Ring and the Grand Adventure Ring simultaneously. This means I have 100% Critical Rate on my Hero when applying Enrage (which locks my attacks from multiple enemies to focusing towards a single target).

In total, I've been using Decent Sharp Eyes, Phantom Skill Link (Level 2), Hyper Critical together with those three Adventure Rings in order to gain 80% Critical Rate without Enrage. Enrage gives 20% Critical Rate and 15% Minimum Critical Damage. I'm using the Eunwol and Hayato character cards for increasing my Critical Damage. Next to all of that, when I apply Puncture on an enemy, I'll gain another 20% Minimum AND Maximum Critical Damage.

Am I going to aim for 100% Critical Rate without Enrage? I'll see what I can manage, but it's something I'm interested to achieve. For the people who read my blog more often, I mentioned I won't use Critical Rate through Inner Ability because there's plenty of more useful lines to me than that.

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

[Lego] Borderlands 2 in Lego® - Constructor - Take 7! [Work In Progress]

Return back to Project Overview.



Sup guys! Another post about the Constructor's progress, but it'll be a small one for now. There has been two major changes to the model's functionality, next to a few small changes.

The small changes has been related to the folding feature themselves. I found a way to largely reduce the required torque for the Mindstorms EV3 servo for pushing the pneumatic pumps by changing a few pieces that were mounted between both. The legs of the Constructor have also been adjusted to improve the folding and the stability of the Constructor when it's entirely folded out.

An image taken from a previous blogpost about the Constructor, you can clearly see that having those pumps being exposed like that can cause some issues.

One of the major issues with the Constructor that wasn't solved was how to avoid fingers getting stuck between the two outer pneumatic pumps on both sides.

For quite a while, I've been looking how to avoid fingers to get stuck between the pumps. First, I thought having some panels around it might solve the issue, but when I was looking at how little space I had left without affecting the body or final shape too much, I thought having something flexible might work better.

After a handful of attempts, I found a way to use those LEGO® net pieces to create a flexible shape around the body. I had to make sure those pieces were tight around the surface, because I had to make sure that you can't get a finger stuck somewhere. There's a handful of parts sticking out the locations where the net is mounted on, but those parts are for connecting structures to the main body in the future.

The second major change is just a part of convenience. Previously, in order to start the Constructor program, you had to open the entire back section to reach out the large center button on the Mindstorms EV3 programmable brick. When I've added the safety button on the outside of the Constructor that stopped the program instant when needed, you had to reopen the back once again.

At first, you wouldn't think of it being such an issue - but later after doing that process plenty of times, I thought I might add a little button on the back that can start the program with ease. It's nothing more than just a small little Technic beam that hinges and pushes the center piece when you push on the back (as shown on the image).

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

[Lego] Work in Progress: STAR WARS™ Hailfire Droid - Take 6

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Hi guys! Just a small but important change has made on the Hailfire Droid. I'll also be posting a short update post about the Constructor soon, for the ones who wonder.

In my previous post, I mentioned I was working on covering specific parts on the Hailfire itself. A few days ago I started working on the "tail" of the droid (the back of the Hailfire Droid). As mentioned a few times on this blog, specific "odd colours" are temporary placeholders before I can get them in the right variant.

So far as of this post, this is the current tail. I know it's not entirely finished (this includes the bottom, the top and the colours), but I wanted to share it with you guys anyways. Because I've been adding weight on the back, the Hailfire Droid now slightly tilts backward - it's something I have to rebalance on a later stage when I work on the front again.

In previous versions of this model, I was trying to work with hinges in order to get the back angled. It didn't really work out as I hope it would be, so I had to change that with some semi-flexible tube pieces. I managed to get the angles I wanted a bit better with those parts, however there's still some work left for me to do.

The mixture of gray, white and black pieces on the top of the Hailfire is just a structural spine. It will be covered after the top is finished. It's required in order to keep the head sturdy; you can actually lift the entire model from the spine!

I might also have to redesign the bottom of the Hailfire Droid, but that will be for a later moment. That's it for now - I'll see you guys again next post!

[Other] Two wild Giovanni appeared!

Remember that one guy from that one blogpost? Yeah, it's Giovanni!
If only both characters of him were Level 7 Mii for Streetpass Quest...