Announcing Unofficial VIKINGS theme

Discussion of custom parts made for the Castle Theme
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armothe
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Announcing Unofficial VIKINGS theme

Post by armothe »

Hear ye! Hear ye! Castleheads!

RedBean and Armothe have teamed up and are pleased to announce the creation of a fan-based (unofficial) LEGO theme. By combining the skills of detailed sculpting, graphic design and minifig customization the two artisans are able to introduce....

VIKINGS!

Here is your chance to participate. Within this thread we'd like to know what you want to see from this theme. There are four basic categories:

Theme (historically accurate? sea adventures? folk-lore?)
Minifigs & Other(bezerker? valkryie? tradesmen? beasts?)
Armor and Weapons
Sets (longboat? temple? longhouse?)

Indulge us with your creative notions!
We will painstakingly select the most worthy of ideas -and incorporate them into the VIKINGS theme- for full presentation (accompanied with much fanfare and photos) to the castle-community.

Thus, ye lords and ladies, pray ye to post a thought, write a paragraph, draft a novel!

The VIKINGS are invading!

RedBean/Armothe
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forester3291
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Post by forester3291 »

Cool!!!!! I have always wondered why Lego did not come out with a Vikings theme. I'm with you guys on this one . Your two skills combined will be amazing!Theme: sea adventures,Minifigs and other: I don't know what valkryie are so beasts,and for sets: longboat :D :D :D .
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Daimyo
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Post by Daimyo »

This would be great...
If TLC could dish out some Viking longboats, maybe a few English merchant cogs to raid, a sea monster or two, Harald Hadraade as a minifig, and some Varangian Guards, I'm good to go!
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TwoTonic Knight
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Re: Announcing Unofficial VIKINGS theme

Post by TwoTonic Knight »

Theme (historically accurate? sea adventures? folk-lore?)

Perhaps you meant something other than theme: the theme is Vikings. Sub-theme? Emphasis?


Minifigs & Other(bezerker? valkryie? tradesmen? beasts?)

Varangian guard. Dwarfs. Fire Giants. Frost Giants. Ulfhednars. Goat-Wagon (those darn Odinists making Thor look like an idiot). Yggdrasil. Ravens. Wolves. Dark Elves. Light Elves.

Armor and Weapons

Short and long handled danish axes, pattern-forged sword, round wooden shield with boss (metal-rimmed and rimless). Appropriate stickers for said shields. Spectacle helm (already done by Red). Chain haurberk (I already have the byrnie).

Sets (longboat? temple? longhouse?)

Ringed settlement with longhalls and dock. Longboats have to be one of the worst things to try and depict with Lego since Lego are almost nothing but straight lines and Longboats are almost nothing but curved lines. But go for it! Rune-carved facades (stickers?) for the halls?
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forester3291
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Re: Announcing Unofficial VIKINGS theme

Post by forester3291 »

TwoTonic Knight wrote:Theme (historically accurate? sea adventures? folk-lore?)

Perhaps you meant something other than theme: the theme is Vikings. Sub-theme? Emphasis?


Minifigs & Other(bezerker? valkryie? tradesmen? beasts?)

Varangian guard. Dwarfs. Fire Giants. Frost Giants. Ulfhednars. Goat-Wagon (those darn Odinists making Thor look like an idiot). Yggdrasil. Ravens. Wolves. Dark Elves. Light Elves.

Armor and Weapons

Short and long handled danish axes, pattern-forged sword, round wooden shield with boss (metal-rimmed and rimless). Appropriate stickers for said shields. Spectacle helm (already done by Red). Chain haurberk (I already have the byrnie).

Sets (longboat? temple? longhouse?)

Ringed settlement with longhalls and dock. Longboats have to be one of the worst things to try and depict with Lego since Lego are almost nothing but straight lines and Longboats are almost nothing but curved lines. But go for it! Rune-carved facades (stickers?) for the halls?
I think I misunderstood tour post Armoth. :oops: I agree with everything TwoTonic said. :D
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Post by Linus »

Theme: (historically accurate? sea adventures? folk-lore?)
I''m not really sure on this one. Mabey a bit of everything...

Minifigs & Other: (bezerker? valkryie? tradesmen? beasts?)
Bezerkers and tradesmen. Bezerkers because I have always liked bezerkers, and tradesmen because it would be great to see a few more peasants and craftsmen around.

Sets: (longboat? temple? longhouse?)
Longboats, huts, and longhouses. Why? What's a Viking (at least a stereotypical Viking) without longboats, huts, and longhouses?

I hope my ideas are at least somewhat helpful.
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Glencaer
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Post by Glencaer »

I don't understand - is this to be a custom theme for sets you plan on selling or just for themed creations?

-Lenny
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The Blue Knight
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Post by The Blue Knight »

I'm with Lenny. Are you planning on making sets, then selling them? Or do you want to see what we've done. Once I figure out how to make a brickshelf gallery (I know duh? but I'm not a computer ninja) I post what I brought to BrickFest PDX. I have gone to make other stuff since, like an entire Lego scale Viking fleet.

I believe it was TTK who had a "Viking Men" post a while back. Lots of great ideas! I had made danish beared axes just like that (and before that), and more things like swords, etc. My pieces are busy elsewhere making a longhouse impossible for the time being, but I like to see more. Bruce H. did a good one when he made Meduseld for his page.

This is certainly a much-neglected theme. No doubt due to the presence of Skrealings in Billund... :wink:
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Red Bean
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Post by Red Bean »

Hiya,

Thanks for all the responses. Let me try to clear up a few small matters: Basically, me and Armothe have been talking about doing something collaboratively for a long time, the question is how and what? Random minifigs just seem too trival, and jointly building a set is just unfeasible due to our geographic difference; finally, we come up with the idea of doing a theme together, which we can each focus our energy on a different aspect and create a world that way. We would like to, first of all, hear what you all think of our intention, and secondly, to gather your inputs to make our theme more attractive to our fellow AFOLs. Here are some of our main objectives:

1. Theme: initially, we'd like to keep things small and simple, so deciding on a direction within the theme will give it a sense of continuity. We would lbasically ike to hear what you prefer to see first: Erik the red leading his men on sea raids in traditional longboats? Or Viking Runecasters battling evil sea serpents and Frost giants?

2. Custom pieces: This is mainly my department. No, we're not going to make a bunch of heavily juniorized pieces so that you can build an entire roof with 2 elements; but aside from a few unique minifig accessories, what are your thoughts on one or two customized thematic pieces such as a dragon head for the longboats (perhaps in the same style as the horse head, compatible as horse barding), or a viking-style cross-poles pieces that goes onto the corner of the roof-tops?

3. Money: Unless you all go crazy about my helmuts and stuffs, no real plan to market anything here. Our goal is to create something to enrich the castle world of ours as well as yours, with downloadable instructions for you to build our viking sets using your own pieces at home (and hopefully, if you find a way to improve on our designs, or come out with a set that fits our theme, you'll show us how to do that, too). Of course, if the interests are there, we won't rule out going into a joint venture to produce some custom items (helmuts, shields, etc.) and selling them to compliment the theme, but right now all I can say is we're not really thinking about that.

At this stage, we're also considering looking for collaborators on this project. But first, please tell us anything that you can think of about our idea and theme. Be assured that your inputs will be invaluable to us. Thank you.

R. B.
visit me website: www.redbeanstudio.net
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Sir Terrance
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Post by Sir Terrance »

Some good flat, smooth round shields, the helm with horns, custom beards, viking hactet thing. Sets, longboat, houses, market, dock, etc.
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cracker nate
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Wow,

Post by cracker nate »

This is a great idea! I'm looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with. If this works out, maybe more people will create themes for the community.

As much as I would like to see a huge amount of fantasy stuff, I would also like to see a realistic Longboat and some historically accurate village homes and businesses. That might get a lot of people who are interested in classic castle interested in what you're doing.

Oh, and I haven't been on Lugnet today yet, but post this over there too, if you haven't already.
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Post by The Blue Knight »

Much clearer, thank you. Sounds as if you want to start with making examples that the rest of us AFOLs can follow if we wish to make our own Viking milieu? I'm on board. I'm in the process of getting my camera back (should be this weekend) and then I should be able to make a BrickShelf gallery (anyone up to PMing me a how-to?) and show what ideas I have for you.

Good Luck! Richard
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Ramus
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Post by Ramus »

Awesome...
This should be great. I think this is a long overlooked idea.
Structure wise, I think that Weapons, Armor, Custom Torsos & other stickers, Banners.
I think that it would be a good idea to setup different factions within the Viking Theme (similar to how castle has several factions).

:D

If there is anything I can do to help, website wise, let me know.
(I know that a viking faction would be a great addition to Brik Battles)

My personal opinion would be to focus on more of a mythological / fantasy theme.

-- Ramus
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Post by Brickboy »

YES! Build lots of ships! And of course a small dock to berth them in.
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Post by The Wolfpack Boss »

I was going to suggest it a while back, but forgot, but now recalled.

Vikings would need CCC standard Palisade Walls, brown 1x1 round pieces, or bricks and wall pieces snagged from sets like Fort Legorado would work great, with brown 1x1 tapered round bricks at the top as points.

And incorporating Polar Bears would be pretty cool too ... Vikings, Bears ... it'd work.
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