[ENTRY] 6277 Imperial Trading Post Remake

[Rogue Redcoat]

Here's my entry, a remake of the Imperial Trading Post, but beware this was my first time using Bricklink stud.io, here are the images... 

Full-scale shot

The updated minifigs

 

Interior's

and one of the updated crane for @Mazin

Edited August 12, 2023 by Rogue Redcoat
more photos

[Brickshipyard]

Not bad at all! The recreation pleases the eyes. The interior updates feel appropirately up to date with the 3 decades (!!!) since the fort's release. I see one photo has an updated and rather smart looking bunch of Redcoats, etc. But do you have a picture of them manning the post? In other words, the build is missing some "this set is alive" photos and since it appears to be digital, I highly recommend you go the extra mile with a background setting, effects, and adding sails to that ship.

[Rogue Redcoat]

1 hour ago, Brickshipyard said:

Not bad at all! The recreation pleases the eyes. The interior updates feel appropirately up to date with the 3 decades (!!!) since the fort's release. I see one photo has an updated and rather smart looking bunch of Redcoats, etc. But do you have a picture of them manning the post? In other words, the build is missing some "this set is alive" photos and since it appears to be digital, I highly recommend you go the extra mile with a background setting, effects, and adding sails to that ship.

I am going to try and get a photo with the crew and render it onto a Lego box, I don't have any experience with this though, can you recommend something, because I can't get Photoshop on my computer? Anyway thanks for your feedback :)

[Brickshipyard]

You are welcome :). I recommend the powerful program of Paint.net: my go to photo editing software.

[iragm]

This is a really cool build.  I love the original set, so it's hard to be objective when looking at a remake.  The interior details are great -- I love the headless skeleton, treasure under the rocks, crab, seaweed, etc.  They really bring this to life.

The drawbridge opening from both sides is a neat addition.

There are a few parts (such as the back of the doors, or the small plant leaf in pic #3) that look like they are only held in place with a single stud.  I would try to address this.  For example, on the door, you could add a 1x3 tile as an "iron" brace to hold it together.  And on the plant, you could add a "Plant Stem with 3 Leaves on Bar with Top and Bottom Pin Holes" to hold the small foliage onto the large one.

Looking at the colors, two things draw my eye in a way that they shouldn't:  First, the rockwork uses a mishmash of light and dark gray.  I think it would look better if it used dark gray lower down, and lighter gray higher up.  Or, make it all dark gray, but with some light gray cheese slopes to make the highlights pop.  Second, it looks like a lot of the dark red exposed brickwork is evenly scattered throughout the structure.  I'd like to see fewer, larger patches of that -- it should look like spalling, and be more prominent in areas where wind and water would have worn away the facade covering the brickwork.

I would also focus on creating a single shot like you might find on an official set box -- pose your minifigures (which look great BTW) doing things around the port.  Try to tell visual stories: for example, add a gull fighting with a monkey over a banana, or some pirates taking a treasure chest while a guard sleeps.

Stud.io can do high quality renders, so make sure to take the time to wait for those once you get everything positioned.  And remember the rule of thirds when positioning everything.

You can use GIMP or Paint.net to add sails and other details later on, but this is not strictly needed.  Excellent work overall, I look forward to seeing more!

[Horation]

My thoughts : 

-The build captures the essence of the original quite well, and I like the improved interior (especially under the baseplate-equivalent area) and the ladders.

-I will however criticise the lack of yellow on the build, the weird rocks and the fact that the two parts of the build don't appear to be of the same height, as evidenced by the shadow under the baseplate, make sure to account for this.

-Finally, there should be water and/or sand under every dock in the build, as it looks weird like this.

[Rogue Redcoat]

On 7/25/2023 at 7:28 PM, iragm said:

This is a really cool build.  I love the original set, so it's hard to be objective when looking at a remake.  The interior details are great -- I love the headless skeleton, treasure under the rocks, crab, seaweed, etc.  They really bring this to life.

The drawbridge opening from both sides is a neat addition.

There are a few parts (such as the back of the doors, or the small plant leaf in pic #3) that look like they are only held in place with a single stud.  I would try to address this.  For example, on the door, you could add a 1x3 tile as an "iron" brace to hold it together.  And on the plant, you could add a "Plant Stem with 3 Leaves on Bar with Top and Bottom Pin Holes" to hold the small foliage onto the large one.

Looking at the colors, two things draw my eye in a way that they shouldn't:  First, the rockwork uses a mishmash of light and dark gray.  I think it would look better if it used dark gray lower down, and lighter gray higher up.  Or, make it all dark gray, but with some light gray cheese slopes to make the highlights pop.  Second, it looks like a lot of the dark red exposed brickwork is evenly scattered throughout the structure.  I'd like to see fewer, larger patches of that -- it should look like spalling, and be more prominent in areas where wind and water would have worn away the facade covering the brickwork.

I would also focus on creating a single shot like you might find on an official set box -- pose your minifigures (which look great BTW) doing things around the port.  Try to tell visual stories: for example, add a gull fighting with a monkey over a banana, or some pirates taking a treasure chest while a guard sleeps.

Stud.io can do high quality renders, so make sure to take the time to wait for those once you get everything positioned.  And remember the rule of thirds when positioning everything.

You can use GIMP or Paint.net to add sails and other details later on, but this is not strictly needed.  Excellent work overall, I look forward to seeing more!

Thank you for your suggestions, I think that the rockwork will be changed as you suggested, I will also make the exposed brickwork more prominent but also leave some areas with just a little. As for other images I am working on a box art one right now and looking to add some of a story to the build. Thank you again and keep posted for more coming images :)

18 hours ago, Horation said:

My thoughts : 

-The build captures the essence of the original quite well, and I like the improved interior (especially under the baseplate-equivalent area) and the ladders.

-I will however criticise the lack of yellow on the build, the weird rocks and the fact that the two parts of the build don't appear to be of the same height, as evidenced by the shadow under the baseplate, make sure to account for this.

-Finally, there should be water and/or sand under every dock in the build, as it looks weird like this.

Thanks for the comments, as for the 2 parts of the build I also saw this afterward and will soon go back and fix it. Now on to the yellow, I have never really liked this color on the old builds, and when I saw that there was less on Eldarado Fortress I figured there should be less on my build too. This is just "v1" of my entry there will be more images soon :)

[CollinsAnimationStudio]

This is very nice, matches quite well with Eldorado! One thing I would change would be the lack of water underneath the right docks section, because it seems that there is always water underneath in sets like Eldorado fortress and Barracuda Bay.

[Rogue Redcoat]

On 7/28/2023 at 7:49 PM, CollinsAnimationStudio said:

This is very nice, matches quite well with Eldorado! One thing I would change would be the lack of water underneath the right docks section, because it seems that there is always water underneath in sets like Eldorado fortress and Barracuda Bay.

I changed it with the box image that I made (the last one listed up top), more updated images will be coming soon :)

[Mazin]

Impressive work! I envy You. My only problem are photos, it's hard to look trough them. I tried downloading biggest sizes and enlarge them and it still didnt give me much. And this is a big set!

Suggestions tho... As much as i like the fact that Your crane is upgraded into modern Eldorado standards, it doesn't look workable. Or maybe i'm wrong, i din't play with this set ;) But, as i see it now, it's positioned incredibly high, yet, it's arm is still very close to the structure! Right now i can't see a way it could load anything on any vessels, cause they would be too far from it. Plus, i'm worried it the hight of the crane would allow it to lower the load it's carrying, if it's got enough rope to reach a ship.

2nd thing. I love the fact that You've a small island to be incorporated into the pier, but it's strange that the cannon mounted on it got wheels when it's already positioned on the rotating base! I think those wheels aren't necesary in there. And I see that other cannon is construced the same way?    

It would be great if You could put some water under the entire lenght of pier too, tho i's not a problem for me. I think our inner kids would manage to play with it the way it is ;)

Oh, and as much as i like those barrels locks on barrels on the right side of the Trading Post, they definitely look like somewthing that could be move by a hook? So maybe You'd have a chance to add something like it to the structure? A small crane with a hook on a pier? Or maybe it's already there somewhere, tho i can't see it now. 

Then again, dockers used special equipment to unload ships' cargo by hand, so maybe, if new crane with a hook is not an option, maybe You could proide some personal hooks-on-sticks for dockers, so that they could carry those barrels by themselves? Or if those barrels are heavy, maybe they could use poles, so thay thye a barrel could be strung onto it and it could be carried by two people? 

[Rogue Redcoat]

@Mazin As stated I worked within the walls of building digitally, I am however going to add a hook for the crane and try to render it in a string to make the build have more playability. As for the cannon, I went back and forth with a moveable cannon (you can take it off the base and move it into the fort if you want). The barrels I wanted to be able to load onto the ship and add them to the crane when I add a hook :) Anyway, I will be updating the pictures soon to the standards of the last photo (and I will add some close-ups ;) Also, thx for your comments

[Mazin]

16 minutes ago, Rogue Redcoat said:

@Mazin As stated I worked within the walls of building digitally, I am however going to add a hook for the crane and try to render it in a string to make the build have more playability. As for the cannon, I went back and forth with a moveable cannon (you can take it off the base and move it into the fort if you want). The barrels I wanted to be able to load onto the ship and add them to the crane when I add a hook :) Anyway, I will be updating the pictures soon to the standards of the last photo (and I will add some close-ups ;) Also, thx for your comments

Thanx for responding! Can't wait for Your updates on the project :)  

[Rogue Redcoat]

Here we go I think the pictures are visible now, not just the links :)

[Horation]

The update looks much better, but the rockwork ought to be remade ; it looks far too straight. 10320's rockwork is good inspiration, since they both are trying to do the same thing but your version looks too artificial, I would make the rocks look like they're a little more random and a little less linear.

[Rogue Redcoat]

2 hours ago, Horation said:

The update looks much better, but the rockwork ought to be remade ; it looks far too straight. 10320's rockwork is good inspiration, since they both are trying to do the same thing but your version looks too artificial, I would make the rocks look like they're a little more random and a little less linear.

Ah, sometimes I struggle with the rock work, but I shall go back and do a few more updates when I have a chance :)

[Rogue Redcoat]

Arrgh, @Mister Phes where is my entry on the [CONTEST] Building Entries Index - ALL the submissions in one convenient place - LEGO Pirates - Eurobricks Forums  :)

[Mister Phes]

7 minutes ago, Rogue Redcoat said:

Arrgh, @Mister Phes where is my entry on the [CONTEST] Building Entries Index - ALL the submissions in one convenient place - LEGO Pirates - Eurobricks Forums  :)

Why, it's at the top of Set Remake list of course!

 

[Rogue Redcoat]

2 hours ago, Mister Phes said:

Why, it's at the top of Set Remake list of course!

Aye, now I see it 

[hikouki]

Nice!

[US_Army_Tom]

Hello! My name is Tom and I am a new member. I loved this set when I was a child back in the early 90s, and you've reimagined it splendidly! I love the added details, and the color texture on the walls.

One thing I noticed is you have a naval cannon on the swivel out on the deck--but it is on wheels. While I always disliked cannons being fixed to any platforms (as the original one is fixed on the swivel), you cannon will recoil and roll into the water after the first shot (thats what those wheels are for). Perhaps consider redesigning that gun station as a wider, more robust feature where a cannon crew could work the gun more realistically. Tis would be an imporvement on the original as well.

Also, the double draw bridge is really neat, and leaves more room for shipping to safely get through. However, there's no way for the ends of each bridge section to link in with one another, making it seem precarious! I think you could mitigate this by creating a very simple hoist on each side, so that the weight of each bridge is held by ropes (aka string) in a suspension style. You already have a crane on one side that could be used for this purpose--just need a simple corresponding one on the other side.

Good luck, and great build!

[Rogue Redcoat]

Welcome to the forum Tom, I love the idea to make a working drawbridge (it might take me a while though), as for the cannon I know it's not realistic and I might redesign it, how bout one of those old 1800s friction carriages, or I could add a mortar, cause they never had a movable carriage. Anyway thanks for the feedback, I will will see what I can do :)

[durazno33]

Another great remake here. I enjoy the new take by adding a bridge between the two as a harbor gate.  Two suggestions: your ramp looks great but when you reach the level of the building, you have plain studs. I suggestion covering them with 1x1 tile gray and dark grey to make it appear cobbled like the ramp.  Second and this is less important, the red roofs look a bit plain. Maybe changing them out to a different style than just using red slopes.  Using plates with tiles on them or red and dark red cheese block slopes or some other would add more detail.

[Rogue Redcoat]

@durazno33 you are right about the plain studs at the top, but Eldorado does the same thing so I think its fine, as for the roof I was thinking about this piece what do ya think Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with 3 Claws / Rock Fingers : Part 27261 | BrickLink

[durazno33]

1 hour ago, Rogue Redcoat said:

@durazno33 you are right about the plain studs at the top, but Eldorado does the same thing so I think its fine, as for the roof I was thinking about this piece what do ya think Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with 3 Claws / Rock Fingers : Part 27261 | BrickLink

Adding a lot of cobles can be very part intensive. I like that piece for a roof. You will have to play with it to get the correct pitch angle for the roof but should look good. What color will you go with? It doesn't look like they make that in red. Just dark red.

[Rogue Redcoat]

27 minutes ago, durazno33 said:

Adding a lot of cobles can be very part intensive. I like that piece for a roof. You will have to play with it to get the correct pitch angle for the roof but should look good. What color will you go with? It doesn't look like they make that in red. Just dark red.

Idk since Im building digitally I might go with red, but dark red might look good.