Agent Minivann's Custom Terrain - Update 1/12

[Agent Minivann]

Here are my custom terrain projects and their varying stages of completion. I should really finish these.


Part I of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Part II of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Part III of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Marvel Warehouse Side Project




Waterfall Project


Sci-Fi Building


Terrain Dye Project


Statues and Columns


Painted Marvel Warehouses


Marro Hive mod


Sword in Stone and repainted Feral Trolls

I'm leaving the original first post in there (with strike out and sans the picture) in case anyone wanted to see the stimulus behind the idea of getting an extra level on the Marvel warehouse.
Sorry if you were expecting pictures already. I have some custom terrain projects in mind (mostly inspired by other scapers' projects), but I wanted some thoughts on one thing I'm planning on doing.

I was looking at the Marvel warehouse ruin last night thinking about what to do to customize/repaint it, and I came up with an idea. I spent some time in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and I thought it would be cool to have a version of the Free Derry wall in my heroscape terrain.

Essentially it is the "home plate" shaped side of a house painted white with the black lettering. I think that it would be very cool, but I know that it wouldn't have the same meaning to others (and I don't even mean taking one side or the other in that discussion). I know the warehouse ruin shape isn't right, and the stark white appearance would hide a whole lot of wall detail. I'm not 100% sure I'm going to go this way (especially considering what else I want to do on this one. :lips sealed: ). I just wanted to get some outside thoughts on it before I pull the trigger.

[Agent Minivann]

I've decided to shelve the idea of the Free Derry ruin (at least for the time being). At the very least it helped me come up with this idea. I was looking at the warehouse ruin thinking that it would be tough to fit all the words on there. I was wishing that the thing was taller. Well, necessity being the mother of invention, I started looking at the warehouse ruin a little closer.

Here's the warehouse ruin we all know and love.


With just a little work with an X-acto you have a convertible ready for upward expansion. It's a pretty soft stuff.


Here is the ruin with the second level flooring in.


I cut up the leftovers for use as smaller rubble pieces.


The rubble that stabilizes the base just doesn't look right on a second level. It also doesn't sit properly over the white raised part of the first level wall. I also thought about just removing the whole concrete footing, but I don't have any tools right now to do that easily. Shaving off the rubble is going to take some work, but it's probably the path of least resistance. The outside edge has a bit in there where the two wall pieces glue together that was a pain to cut. It took me a while to figure out a good procedure. I score the bottom of the piece (it's nice and flat, so it is the easiest place) and then work at it until I have cut through to the inside. Then I just work up the sides until I have the whole rubble pile off. The larger pieces require taking off sections to allow easier access to cut up the sides and top. That leaves...


Rubble pieces. I'll be able to use these later.
The project so far:







Part II of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Part III of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Marvel Warehouse Side Project

[Frodo]

Cool!

[whitestuff]

How stable is it? How high could you go?

[karl with a k]

Thats pretty cool. I wouldn't push it any higher.

[Agent Minivann]

Originally Posted by whitestuff

How stable is it? How high could you go?

I still need to trim off the rest of the rubble from the bottom of the second level piece before I really know how stable it is. I imagine it could theoretically go up indefinitely, but I'll be happy with what I'm working on now. Besides it is a pain to get the rubble trimmed off with the tools I have handy.

[Annerios]

Very nice! That is a really good idea.

I think I would trim off some of those extra bricks on the front between the first and second floors and use some of the Apoxie sculpt we discussed to repair any gashes that don't look like normal ruin effects.

I've already painted up my spares of this ruin, but they are so cheap I may get more and give this concept a shot. Those small ruin piece leftovers can be turned into something too.

By the way, if you can get your hands on a Dremel tool, it makes some of this work easier to do. Cutting that plastic with the X-acto blades is a dangerous proposition; although you have to be really careful with a Dremel too.

[spiteofthedice]

Looks great, Agent M.

I just got my first Marvel set, and the wall is so warped it doesn't fit on the base. I emailed Hasbro about it and if they'll send me a replacement, I might just try something like this with the old one.

[Agent Minivann]

Originally Posted by Annerios

Very nice! That is a really good idea.

I think I would trim off some of those extra bricks on the front between the first and second floors and use some of the Apoxie sculpt we discussed to repair any gashes that don't look like normal ruin effects.

I've already painted up my spares of this ruin, but they are so cheap I may get more and give this concept a shot. Those small ruin piece leftovers can be turned into something too.

By the way, if you can get your hands on a Dremel tool, it makes some of this work easier to do. Cutting that plastic with the X-acto blades is a dangerous proposition; although you have to be really careful with a Dremel too.

I used to have a generic Dremel, but it died a long time ago. I wish I would have had one when I was doing this. Between an X-acto and a utility knife I managed to get it done. If it wasn't for my starving student budget, I would have just gone and picked up a new Dremel. I got all the rubble piles removed from the upper wall. I'll have to pick up some Apoxie Sculpt to finish this project. As soon as I get the pictures sorted I'll get them posted.

[Agent Minivann]

Got all the rubble pieces off.


I needed to shave off a part of one of the boards to accommodate the second story wall and its rubble pile.


I used some craft sticks to keep the walls lined up properly while I glued them.


I managed to get the corner rubble pile off mostly intact. I glued it onto the corner from the second story remains.

Here they are from each side. I decided to glue it to the base as well so that it was a little more stable. It should be very stable as long as the base piece is attached to tiles of the same level.





Front and back view with the wall sections in. I had to shave a little extra off the bottom of the upper wall section so it could go in over where the sign juts up.



Part I of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Part III of the Marvel Warehouse Project
Marvel Warehouse Side Project

[MI_Tiger]

Nice work - the ruins fit together seemlessly (after your hard work making them fit of course) and the finished product looks very natural.

Have you considered adding a way for non-flyers to access the platforms, maybe a steel ladder like you might find leading to a catwalk? Without that, the top level could be a pretty nasty dragon perch. That's not too big a deal with Marvel since most everyone flies, but it could be unbalancing in a mixed or normal game.

[Agent Minivann]

I've been trying to figure out a way to make something like a fire escape ladder/stair system on the short side. Castle ladders would be pretty easy, but I don't have any that I can spare. I've been looking at the fire escapes around town trying to figure it out, but I don't have anything yet.

I'm also trying to figure out a way to paint it. I'm liking some of the old buildings with the old faded sections. I'm not sure how to get that same it was painted 50 years ago look. I'm also trying to figure out what to do on the sign portion of the walls.