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Using Hundreds of LEGO Star Wars Mini-Spaceships to Create Huge Battles
Posted by Jesus Diaz at 1:00 AM on February 6, 2008
Instead of building a huge Millennium Falcon out of thousands of LEGO pieces, Tim Goddard decided to use thousands of LEGO blocks to create 200 Star Wars mini-sets, from Star Destroyers to TIE Interceptors and Snow Speeders. He then uses these mini-scale models to make famous movie scenes, including the Battle of Hoth, the Millennium Falcon inside the Death Star and the race through the tunnels of Death Star II. The level of abstraction while keeping "apparent" detail is amazing at this scale. Interview and huge (I mean, HUGE) galleries after the jump.
Jesús Díaz: How many of these constructions do you have? It looks like a gigantic fleet.
Tim Goddard: I've got about 200 mini vehicles of varying size. Most of the stuff I'm building right now is in a scale of 1cm : 2m so it's mainly starfighters and Imperial walker type stuff. I've built 6 dioramas in plastic domes to this scale to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Wars last year, one for each film.
I've also got a fleet of capital ships at a scale of 1cm : 6m. These battle ships have been inspired by (and to fight against!) the official 'Ultimate Collectors' set made by Lego of the Imperial Star Destroyer.
JD: LEGO has some old Star Wars micro-sets like yours... do you think they should release more of this micro-scale sets for creating vast squadrons of spaceships, to create "tin-soldier"-like dioramas, like you do? I'm thinking in a massive Death Star trench here...
TG: That would be great! Unfortunately LEGO isn't making any of these sets right now, but there are rumours that we will see the return of this line in the summer. I think there would be a big market for mini Star Wars LEGO... who wouldn't want Darth Vader's TIE dogfighting with an X-wing on your desk? And there are loads of fans who would love to have some dioramas, there are so many classic moments from the films just waiting to be made.
JD: How do you reach to these super-simplified constructions? Do you do some planning first or you go straight for it?
TG: Just go for it! Well, mostly. Loads of reference pictures are essential and I often use an architect's ruler in the scale I'm working in; making the dimensions as accurate as possible is key to getting the look (but you can't help a bit of chunkiness, this is LEGO after all!) It can take ages to get the smallest model to look just right, endlessly taking it apart and putting it back together again.
JD: Yeah, I can imagine... how long have you been doing LEGO?
TG: Pretty much all my life. Space Lego was my favourite as a kid, and when they released Star Wars LEGO it was a match made in heaven! I've been making my own custom Star Wars stuff for maybe 5 years but I've always enjoyed building.
[Flickr via Brothers Brick]
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
julio kohlberg
Posted July 21, 2008 2:46 AM
put the milenium falcon instructions please
mikecoscia
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
I love the big ones but they take up so much space. I have the collectors star destroyer and it takes up an entire coffe table. I really want the falcon to, but have no idea where I would put it.
mikecoscia
Out2gtcha
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
So when did Vader get an X-Wing fighter?
Out2gtcha
P3nnst8r
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
I would give Tim any amount of money for that Slave I. That made my day.
Or i could just make it myself, but this man deserves the money!
P3nnst8r
strider_mt2k
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
@Curves: I only have a small box of Lego, but I do a lot with it. ;)
@Yifkong: Ah yes, I regret to say I let mine go at one point.
strider_mt2k
TommySez
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
I'm always more impressed by smaller Lego models than the huge ones. The ingenuity required is amazing.
TommySez
Yifkong
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
Wow, that's epic. With all these Lego related posts of late, I really wish I could bust out my long-since given away tub o' Legos :'(
Yifkong
Curves
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
Giz should sponser a Lego playdate/Giz get-together were you can all bring your toys and play. I really had no clue how many adults were into Legos until I read about it on Giz and started sending links to my Nerd-Buds, who then came out of the Lego closet.
Curves
strider_mt2k
Posted 2:24 AM 6/2/08
We have many of the Lego Star Wars Mini ships.
I collected two sets of a particular series to get enough pieces for two mini TIE Advanced fighters.
One of the mini scout walkers is among the robots and such right here on my desk! :D
The problem is displaying them. We just don't have the room.
As a result most of the larger minis live in a box. :(
I've never seen many of the ones here, but you can believe I'm saving the pics to see if I can reproduce a couple some time. :D
strider_mt2k
Jesus Diaz
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
@Arelar: Kilrathi? Godalmighty.
Jesus Diaz
Arelar
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
im so tired of star wars. i want a kilrathi space ship! make me a kilrathi space ship! now!
Arelar
uberfu
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
@Curves: We all grew up on this_ The "adults" title is a formality at best_
Damn - I'm in awe at the plethora of LEGO schwag - but even still someone has a large amount of free time on their hands_
uberfu
Dunechaser
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
@TOMMYSEZ: Right with ya. The big stuff is really cool, but I would argue that it takes just as much skill to create something recognizable from just a few pieces.
Dunechaser
bpatten
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
@Strider_Mt2k: I call the Tie Defender!
bpatten
strider_mt2k
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
@Out2gtcha: They have TIE variants to the outer rim and back!
strider_mt2k
cgiddings
Posted 3:26 AM 6/2/08
Keen!
cgiddings
freakshow1
Posted 5:25 AM 6/2/08
Can we PLEASE get an update on the Falcon?
I beg of you!
freakshow1
mandarin
Posted 5:25 AM 6/2/08
Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude!
mandarin
Kaiser-Machead
Posted 5:25 AM 6/2/08
There's something about that little yellow Naboo fighter that puts a big smile on my face.
Kaiser-Machead
scarbrtj
Posted 5:25 AM 6/2/08
These are so cute. If they had cheeks I'd pinch 'em.
scarbrtj
Polybius
Posted 6:25 AM 6/2/08
Videos!!
Polybius
Benjo
Posted 6:25 AM 6/2/08
I really wish I had time for crap like this.
Benjo
DangerousDac
Posted 8:25 AM 6/2/08
Thats the game btw, not any witchy bullshit. ;-)
DangerousDac
DangerousDac
Posted 8:25 AM 6/2/08
Damn, I call dibs on the Moldy Crow. I do remember a chunk of my childhood devoted to dark forces :-)
DangerousDac
ackthbbft
Posted 9:25 AM 6/2/08
@DangerousDac: I'm glad I wasn't the only one to recognize the 'Crow!
ackthbbft
KinneyX
Posted 9:25 AM 6/2/08
I'd really like to see a Lego model of Lando's co-pilot from "Return of the Jedi."
Also, is there a button to make the wings pop off the Lego version of Darth Vader's Tie-fighter?
KinneyX
ab3
Posted 9:25 AM 6/2/08
I am no longer angry about Apple releasing a 32 gb iPod Touch (I already bought mine). THANK YOU! You should work for Lego.
ab3
ajr8292
Posted 9:25 AM 6/2/08
Silly nerds....lego's are for kids.....
I guess this just backs up the whole child-man theory floating around the net now-a-days.
ajr8292
Purple Dave
Posted 7:26 PM 6/2/08
His Brickshelf gallery is awaiting moderation right now, but I'm pretty sure he was lying when he said he made six bubble-dioramas. I seem to recall a seventh piece being added to the lineup, based on some aspect of the Clone Wars animated series.
@Curves:
It's not _really_ necessary, as the LEGO fan community has already taken on that role. Though the original, Brickfest from the DC area, seems to be defunct for now, and Brickswest (in LEGOLAND, CA's hometown) scuttled itself but permanently, there's BrickCon (previously NWBrickcon) held up Seattle-wards in the fall, Brickworld will be in its second year in Chicago this June, and there are a few smaller LEGO-centric shows in the US alone. There are also several such conventions in Europe, though I'm less familiar with what they're called and when they're held. Beyond all of that, a lot of LEGO User Groups, LEGO Train Clubs, and even a few individual builders put on displays at various non-LEGO-centric shows, like the National Model Railroad Association's annual roving train show (just held in Detroit last year, and it's California-bound this year).
@TommySez:
While a lot of builders think their particular format requires more creativity/skill/whatever than another format, both small-scale and large-scale building have very unique and rewarding challenges. I prefer small-scale myself, because I work better with incorporating odd part shapes into designs (plus it's a lot more affordable), and even my "small" stuff tends to have an unusually high piece count. Other people I know build _huge_ structures (like this 11.5' tall rendition of Detroit's Penobscot building). That scale allows more freedom in terms of detail, but structure is a bigger challenge (especially if you want it to be portable, you're dealing with odd shapes like mecha, or you're doing completely insane things like building a nearly 100% LEGO-built, working harpsichord without using any glue).
@KinneyX:
I could have sworn Count Blockula made a miniscale Nien Nunb, but I can't find any evidence of it if he has. There are a few people who have made custom minifigs (helps that Ten Nunb was released a while back in one of the B-Wing iterations, so the head was a done deal).
And it's a LEGO creation. You don't need a button to be able to pop the wings off.
Purple Dave
famman47
Posted 5:48 PM 20/2/08
I really like your mini Falcon. Would it be possible to get photos of a few more angles of this model? Would you condsider posting parts lists for any of these custom minis?
famman47