Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Ssendam on 27 June 2014, 07:24:04 PM
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In the process of building an Evil Mastermind's Lair :
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_1.jpg)
It's a 600mm by 1200mm board (2' x 4') which I'm putting together for a 7TV demo game. I've incorporated various rooms so that any one could form the focus of a future scenario. I've also constructed multiple paths from one side of the board to the other. The plan is to butt the board up against a similar sized board representing the outside of the base. Although there is only one entrance (through the Garage), I could use a bit of scenery to represent a sewer access which could enter via the WC.
This is the Control Room. It has sloping windows that overlook the Test Facility Room which I figures could be used for anything from a rocket to a star-gate; I'm leaving the décor blank so all I have to do is put in the scenery appropriate to the scenario.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_12.jpg)
The Machine Room has an elevated floor so the machines here can be easily monitored.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_9.jpg)
I'm looking on advice on a few issues though ...
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_3.jpg)
A) I'm not sure what colours to paint the floor and walls ... I was thinking the walls could be two-tone, maybe white at the top and a pale green at the bottom, OR, maybe just all a single colour with a strip of a bold colour along the middle.
B) I've used a lot of 5mm foamcore boards in the build so I'm thinking I should plug up any gaps with ultra fine pollyfiller? Thoughts?
C) Floor ... texture? Most smooth floors in hospitals and alike seem to be light in colour and mottled.
D) Doors: The board is for wargaming so I don't want model doors, but maybe freestanding doors you can move when they are opened might be the ticket?
E) Cliffs ... the edge of the base has two layers of 25mm EPS Foam Board. The inner layer which just the edge of the base and an outer layer which I wanted to carve to look like a rock face. So far my carving does not look that great ...
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_5.jpg)
I think part of the problem is that the horizontal striations don't line up, but I'm not sure if the whole carving technique is not a great idea. Any suggestions?
If anyone want to throw me some advice I'd really appreciate it.
Ssendam
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Nice start.
Maybe use cork bark rather than bluefoam for the cliff face?
Quick question: are there any gaming shops on the island? I've family in Port Erin so am often over there. Didn't see one in Peel or Douglas?
Cheers
The Commander
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About the doors:
What about sliding doors? Railing at the floor and one on the top, and a piece of plasticard to slide between them? Lots of even lairs in movies have sliding doors!
Just two end pieces and a strip of plasticard between them (to hold it a bit away from the wall so the door fits in between) for the railings.
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Looks good to me, but I might have suggested including a service corridor or air conditioning duct.
I don't think the rock face was too bad - maybe try looking at it with some paint on?
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@Cmdr Viper: I did think of cork, but it's not that cheap and I've loads of Blue Foam. Cork is not that easy to get here as ... there are no shops on the island that sell gaming/model supplies. That's not to say you can't find some things and there are a couple of shops that sell plastic kits and one that does limited RC stuff, but not much more, (if you find one let me know!).
@petercooman123: Nice idea, that might work on a couple of doorways at least.
@ fastolfrus: I wanted to avoid one level obscuring another to keep it easy for gaming, but certainly maybe some vent doors with some special rules, i.e. go in one, wait a turn and come out of any of the others, something like that.
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This i a great build.
I am looking forward to se how it progresses.
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maybe some vent doors with some special rules, i.e. go in one, wait a turn and come out of any of the others, something like that.
A bit like Cluedo.
Or maybe number the vents, and roll to see which door they re-emerge from. If they have a map they get to re-roll (if they don't like the first choice) or roll 3 dice and pick one etc. Also, if you have less vents than numbers, then any missing number rolled = still in the duct somewhere (took a wrong turn, too fat for the tube, dropped a contact lens...)
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I did think of cork, but it's not that cheap and I've loads of Blue Foam. Cork is not that easy to get here as ... there are no shops on the island that sell gaming/model supplies.
You can sometimes find large bits of tree bark in garden centres. Not the same as cork, but it can have a sort of rock texture.
Also, some model rail places sell a rock "mould", a basic latex mould to cast bits of cliff face from plaster. Never tried one to see what they are like though.
But I think the foam looks good anyway, try a bit of paint on it.
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Looks promising 8)
cheers
James
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Did you try plasterbands, like the ones used in healing (more protecting) broken limbs ?
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That looks great. I really like that test room. Awesome stuff. Following this with much enthusiasm
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Green and white works :D
(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/5ygcI53efAI/hqdefault.jpg)
Perfect place for an evil lair. Or perhaps concrete and tile?
(http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/DcQpv5Ad-Nk/maxresdefault.jpg)
Goldeneye! ;D ;D
Cheers
Matt
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I did a test wall piece for the corridor. It's an Off-White upper, Green-Grey Lower and a Medium Grey floor. The red lone seems to set it off nicely and the letter makes the wall less boring. I'm not sure if I should keep the same scheme for all the rooms of just use this on the corridors; rooms could be a single colour, maybe the Green-Grey.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_13.jpg)
My blog has a few more pics: http://www.ssendam.org/blog/ (http://www.ssendam.org/blog/)
@Constable Bertrand: Nice idea's. I've been googling "hospital corridors" for inspiration. Certainly the two tone effect is nicer and I may have to consider tiles for the floor ...
p.s. Please forgive the half painted figures!
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Looking great.
One technique that AndyM on the forum uses for rock faces is to take a stone and press it into the blue foam. The irregular edges will break up the texture of the foam and hopefully create a more realistic looking rock.
You might get some inspiration from his thread here:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=58432.0
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Nice work!
This looks very promising,
:-* 8) :-*
I shall be watching this with much interest as I have something fairly similar planned for next year's BLAM game.
I shall be stealing all of your good ideas, sir!
:D
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Signage, every evil lair should be at the top of the curve with environmental graphics. Those minions dont have time to get lost, build in a line to follow to key areas (i think Star Gate had a yellow line running through the complex as an escape? Perhaps letters to designate different rooms/areas?
you could use plasticard tiles for the floor or squares of cardboard.
WIP figures are forgiven ;)
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Great start. I also like the ideas of duct points that can be used for abstracted movement.
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What a great idea. I really like that you have made multiple heights in the main complex.
The corridor paint scheme looks good - I'd keep the corridors fairly simple.
For floors could you use actual vinyl floor tiles?
For the rooms, would using some magnetic sheet work, so that you can re-skin them easily? I've got some magnetic sheet that can be ink jet printed on, so you could print the right textures on to the sheets, cut them out, then swap them to change the look of the rooms. Or perhaps just use this idea of signs and pictures which would be less work, and let you change the look and style fairly easily.
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Lovely stuff. I've used textured plasticard for flooring, but I've not had to cover the same area as you have!
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/9905bfa7.jpg) (http://s274.photobucket.com/user/pez47/media/Crooked%20Dice/9905bfa7.jpg.html)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/2b10f47d.jpg) (http://s274.photobucket.com/user/pez47/media/Crooked%20Dice/2b10f47d.jpg.html)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/b5f7837f.jpg) (http://s274.photobucket.com/user/pez47/media/Crooked%20Dice/b5f7837f.jpg.html)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/a2162669.jpg) (http://s274.photobucket.com/user/pez47/media/Crooked%20Dice/a2162669.jpg.html)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/2a590de2.jpg) (http://s274.photobucket.com/user/pez47/media/Crooked%20Dice/2a590de2.jpg.html)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/P1080524.jpg)
(http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj278/pez47/Crooked%20Dice/P1080513.jpg)
You could just use it in a few key rooms?
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Extremely impressive - bookmarking for future idea theft!
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Excellent project. I will be following closely.
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Minor update ...
I've been working on finishing some of the rooms and getting a few layers of paint on it. I've decided I'll try and work on it room-by-room so here's the Warehouse mostly finished. The corridor walls will be green/white as shown before, but the rooms will be the green only. I wanted to make the floor more interesting so I put a few tramlines down and some designated areas. I've been using Tamiya 6mm masking tape and the lines are probably a bit thick. I think the wall plates and the colour coding finish it off nicely.
I do have some touching up of the paint work to do yet though.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_15.jpg)
Going with the ventilation access points idea I did a test piece which seems to be ok. Perhaps a bit on the big side, but it's more difficult to scratch-build a smaller piece and we can't have the actors crawling around ... it will ruin their make-up.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_16.jpg)
I've put some plasticard down on the ramps which has that embossed metal plate look and added some plastic railings (need some more though). I'll get them done and put some pics up for next time.
uti_long_smile: How did you get that metal embossed floor looking so good?
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Looks good!!
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Now that's awesome! Those colours really ZING!
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This is beautiful. I am going to have to quit looking at it, or I might start another genre...oh, wait, I can steal ideas from this for my Fallout stuff!
:D
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Looking good!
Ssendam - the tread plate plasticard (Slaters) was mounted onto a 3mm base board. From memory its simply sprayed black, then possibly grey (both cheap Halfords car paints) and then dry-brushed with Bolt Gun Silver.
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Looking great.
One technique that AndyM on the forum uses for rock faces is to take a stone and press it into the blue foam. The irregular edges will break up the texture of the foam and hopefully create a more realistic looking rock.
You might get some inspiration from his thread here:
http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=58432.0
You might find that sofa foam torn up gives you a nice texture too. O centre ripped you just apply some sort of plaster, the foam ducks it up and goes hard.
For the floors the one thing I wanted to try, I've seen rolls of adhesive plastic sheet. You can get it in all sorts of different printed textures including metal. I can't find it on B&Qs website!! :(
Great start bud!
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Just stumbled onto this thread. Lovely work. :D
I like the floor markings in the warehouse, maybe a couple of Health and safety notices/signs on the wall will help to break up the green/grey.
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Just stumbled onto this thread. Lovely work. :D
I like the floor markings in the warehouse, maybe a couple of Health and safety notices/signs on the wall will help to break up the green/grey.
The thought of Blofeld's secret lair being shut down after a Health & Safety Executive investigation is brilliant. It could make a great scenario!
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I've moved on quite a bit and will post some more pictures soon. I was waiting for some plastic railings to come in stock but I've been waiting a while and its a bit frustrating ...
Two questions ...
1) I'm not wanting to clutter the display with scenery because it's a board designed to play games on not win modelling awards ... however, who makes simple toilets/basins for my WC?
2) I'm looking for some plasti-card sheet for small floor tiles, but I'm drawing a blank on finding something the right size ... any ideas?
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In the process of building an Evil Mastermind's Lair :
The Machine Room has an elevated floor so the machines here can be easily monitored.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_9.jpg)
Surely this is a pool room for the sharks with frigging laser beams?
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1) I'm not wanting to clutter the display with scenery because it's a board designed to play games on not win modelling awards ... however, who makes simple toilets/basins for my WC?
2) I'm looking for some plasti-card sheet for small floor tiles, but I'm drawing a blank on finding something the right size ... any ideas?
1 - how about white plastic beads? Not ideal, but cheap and may look ok at a passing glance.
2 - papercraft shops (even Poundland sometimes) have odd textured cards etc
used by greeting card/scrapbook makers.
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p.s. Did you get any further with the rock face?
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p.s. Did you get any further with the rock face?
Things have moved a lot further on but I've not had time to post any photos as I was rushing to get it in a fit state for a wargames club open day last weekend. I still have a few bits to tidy up but it's pretty much as I want it for a functional bit of wargames scenery.
In answer to the question however ... Yup I did finish the rock face. Eventually I took the individual "columns" I had cut out of High Density Polystyrene (EPS - Expanded Polystyrene) and tried to cover them with filler; this did not go well. The filler doesn't really grip to the surface of the EPS. I then reverted to the 'rock impression' method of construction that I read about on this board and ... wow, it really came together, (that's where you take a small rock and press it into the EPS to give it texture).
The biggest issue I had was filling it with terrain; I didn't realise how much I would need (and didn't have). Fortunately the club came to my assistance.
I'll try and get some pictures up this weekend for comments.
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Kinda late to the game...
I made these modular building boards and stuff last spring.
(http://www.swob.kvy.fi/photo-archive/20140402/thumb/20140402-095.jpg)
I went with the mottled paint schemes because I thought it looked better for less effort than solid colors.
Real interiors often go for the mottled schemes because they are easier to keep looking clean.
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@Ssendam: How are you cutting your foamcore board? Are you just using the steel ruler and straightedge approach, or do you have one of those cutters? I tend to shy away from foamcore because I'm not very good at cutting it, and all your cuts seem perfect!
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@Ssendam: How are you cutting your foamcore board? Are you just using the steel ruler and straightedge approach, or do you have one of those cutters? I tend to shy away from foamcore because I'm not very good at cutting it, and all your cuts seem perfect!
Did you use a new blade when you cut your foamcore? Because it has a tendency to eat your blades.
And a rabbet cutter is no luxury when working with this material. I noticed some paper sticking out at the corners, so I guess Ssendam used one of those, too.
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@Ssendam: How are you cutting your foamcore board? Are you just using the steel ruler and straightedge approach, or do you have one of those cutters? I tend to shy away from foamcore because I'm not very good at cutting it, and all your cuts seem perfect!
I have a handheld wire cutter which I think is a Woodland Scenics one. I've had a few and this is the best handheld one I've used; mains power and an on/off trigger being very useful features.
However ... that's for the hand shaping stuff. The perfect cuts are obtained using a Proxxon Thermocut 230/E which was about £65 ... not cheap, but it does a great job and certainly on this project was worth every penny in accuracy and time saved.
[ADDED]
Oops ... I think I miss interpreted the question ... the above is about the EPS board.
Foamcore : I have the Foam Werks rabbit (Sp?) cutter which is essential (IMHO). I have other Foam Werks cutters but the very best tool is a steel ruler with a non-slip backing and an X-acto blade. I splashed out on one that was made for purpose and was a metre long BUT you can get the same effect gluing some thin cork to the back of a steel ruler (I've not tried that personally but I have used a ruler that was made that way). The bespoke ruler has some advantages, length (lots of cuts are over the 30cm length of a standard ruler) and a straight edge on one side to keep your cut to 90 Degrees. The disadvantage ... COST!
I found that I only replaced the cutter blade once (actually it's 2 blades, and they are double sided so I reversed them). As for the X-acto, it was not that bad, maybe 2 blades, but you keep snapping them off and it stays ok. Important to keep it sharp though!
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Did you use a new blade when you cut your foamcore? Because it has a tendency to eat your blades.
And a rabbet cutter is no luxury when working with this material. I noticed some paper sticking out at the corners, so I guess Ssendam used one of those, too.
I do use new blades, I'm just kind of bad at keeping my blade vertical. I don't really have the eye for it. But I don't have that much practice, so maybe I just need to do a bunch of bad cuts until I get the hang of doing it right. I do have a rabbet cutter, also (which I suppose would help with some of my dodgy right angles, now that I think about it).
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The bespoke ruler has some advantages, length (lots of cuts are over the 30cm length of a standard ruler) and a straight edge on one side to keep your cut to 90 Degrees. The disadvantage ... COST!
That might be worth it to me, my biggest problem is keeping the blade at a vertical 90 degree angle.
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That might be worth it to me, my biggest problem is keeping the blade at a vertical 90 degree angle.
I use a 60cm aluminium ruler for the longer cuts.
As for the angle : I mostly cut the foamcore on the floor (on a piece of cardboard, mind you.) I find I have more control over the angle than while sitting at a desk.
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Sorry for the delay, real life and all that ...
I got the base board to a state I could use it in an club open day, but had to borrow some scenery to go in it.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_17.jpg)
This gives a good view of how the cliffs/rockface turned out. They probably look a bit better in the flesh and could do with a bit of tidying up; but still.
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Evil_Lair_18.jpg)
In addition to the terrain I made unit cards for the game to help new players; see what you think:
FRONT:
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Unit-Cards-v3-2a.jpg)
BACK:
(http://www.ssendam.org/blog/wp-content/gallery/evil-masterminds-lair/Unit-Cards-v3-2b.jpg)
I should add, there are a few more pictures on the blog ... link to the left; click on the world icon.
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Nice stuff. Love your work.
An Evil Mastermind Lair is something I've wanted to make for a while. Maybe it's a good project for next year.
I'd like to make it on the coast so I could do a occasional frogman infiltration mission.
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I like the mined rockface! Looks good. 8)
Cheers
Matt
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Great project! :-*