My first castle MOC - Helms deep from LoTR

jon_p · Post by **jon_p** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 7:56 pm

Hey,

Just thought I would post the link to my helms deep MOC. I am new to castle, I only really got into it the last 6 months so this is my first go at a castle.
I still have a little more left to go but you can see my progress so far in the gallery - http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=85183
Please leave any advice or criticism as I would like to know how to improve it and I'm sure you are all expert castle builders!!
Thanks for looking,

Jon.

Post by **Robin Hood** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 9:06 pm

Looking good. This is great, espiscially considering that you are new to castle making. Good Job and keep building.

Post by **Formendacil** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 10:01 pm

jon_p wrote:Please leave any advice or criticism as I would like to know how to improve it ...

Finish it.

It's easier to criticize when something is done.

Put figs in it. Figs are magical. They are fascinating. I love figs!!!

jon_p wrote:and I'm sure you are all expert castle builders!!

Trying to flatter us???

Dark_Avenger · Post by **Dark_Avenger** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:04 pm

I like it. The Deeping Wall looks pretty cool, but the relief on top should probably match up, rather than be in a 4-2-4-2 pattern. The Keep looks VERY nice, except for curves. The causeway, other than the abrupt bend, is straight, and the Keep wall looks too much like an octogon-in-progress. My suggestion would be to work on making both the causeway and wall curve more gradually, instead of bending at angles and going on straight for portions. Other than that, I like it!

LEGOFREAK · Post by **LEGOFREAK** » Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:26 pm

First of all - welcome aboard.

Second - that is a great start. I like the wall, it looks great. I can tell you have some ways to go, but you are getting there. I dont really have any suggestions to add right now except keep working on it.

Freak

jon_p · Post by **jon_p** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 11:48 am

Put figs in it. Figs are magical. They are fascinating. I love figs!!!

Yes I am working on some at the moment, I will put them in once I'm done.

jon_p wrote:
and I'm sure you are all expert castle builders!!

Trying to flatter us???

Not really, I just meant you all have much more experience at building castles than me!

the relief on top should probably match up, rather than be in a 4-2-4-2 pattern

I will probably change that.. its just I didn't have enough 2x2 slopes so I has to use a few 2x4s.

My suggestion would be to work on making both the causeway and wall curve more gradually, instead of bending at angles and going on straight for portions

I worked on a couple of ideas to make it looked curved but I found this the easiest way. I know that close up they look bad, but they give the effect I was looking for. Do you have any ideas how I can make it move gradual?

Thanks for the advice and comment!

Jon.

Sir Garth · Post by **Sir Garth** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 12:45 pm

Looks all right, all you have to do now is to make the stairs and the towers...
Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought helms deep had two walls, right?
When I see a Lotr creations, I always want to make helms deep, to
To bad I don't have a gate, I just got to buy the KK2 set with the knights on the wall
But if I make it I'd have to destroy my current castle, and I don't like doing that...

Dark_Avenger · Post by **Dark_Avenger** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 11:32 pm

The best way I can explain it is by showing you diagram-style. The red line traces were the wall snakes, each square (with a circle in it) is a baseplate stud... See what I'm getting at? It makes a much smoother result.

Post by **Bruce N H** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 12:12 am

Sir Garth,

The first wall was way down the valley (a mile? I'd have to refer back to the text) from the main wall and fortress that were built where the valley narrows into a canyon.

Bruce

Post by **Formendacil** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 12:50 am

Bruce N H wrote:Sir Garth,

The first wall was way down the valley (a mile? I'd have to refer back to the text) from the main wall and fortress that were built where the valley narrows into a canyon.

Bruce

You're right about its placement... I'm just wondering if it ought to be called a 'wall'. Its name is Helm's Dike. Dike, as defined by Dictionary.Com, is

a. An embankment of earth and rock built to prevent floods.

b.Chiefly British. A low wall, often of sod, dividing or enclosing lands.

There are other definitions, and Tolkien, a linguist and contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary was undoubtedly aware of them. Still, this is basically what I picture when I dike. Still, its not something that really matters.

Although if you do go with this definition, it would be pretty hard to make that dike. Not only because of its enormous size, but because you'd be looking at a lot of green (among other colours) pieces.

porschecm2 · Post by **porschecm2** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:57 am

Welcome, Jon!

The wall looks excellent. I think most of the suggestions I have have already been mentioned. Dark Avenger has good advice though; if you could make the keep a bit more rounded it would contribute profoundly to the overall design. Great start to a castle career.

Cm2

jon_p · Post by **jon_p** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:22 am

Dark Avenger, thanks for the diagram. I see what you mean now but it wil be hard for me to change it. Still, I will try my best to make it look "rounder".
Thanks for all the comments.

Jon.

jon_p · Post by **jon_p** » Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:23 am

Dark Avenger, thanks for the diagram. I see what you mean now but it wil be hard for me to change it. Still, I will try my best to make it look "rounder".
Thanks for all the comments.

Jon.

Commander Redbeard · Post by **Commander Redbeard** » Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:14 pm

Helm's dike is an outer defense that was quickly overrun by Uruk-hai in the first stage of the battle. The wall is a totally different thing.

Classic-Castle.com

My first castle MOC - Helms deep from LoTR

My first castle MOC - Helms deep from LoTR

Re: My first castle MOC - Helms deep from LoTR