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Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Burgundavia on November 10, 2010, 11:28:41 PM

Title: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Burgundavia on November 10, 2010, 11:28:41 PM
A few weeks ago I decided, in a fit of insanity, to create very large mesa as a central piece of a game, for Pulp or Back of Beyond (which our group seems to be drifting to). The base is choroplast (an old sign from the lantern festival I worked for) and the mesa itself is foamboard (also rescued from the lantern festival garbage pile, in this case it was used for floating lanterns on the water). The brown you see near the stone archway is terracotta milliput for extending a few platforms I was a bit too hasty/aggressive in sanding down. Without further ado, some images:

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/5165475872_d9596caf2d.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5165475872/)
Overview of the mesa (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5165475872/)

(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1256/5164824343_69c2e4f5d6.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164824343/)
The mesa, sideview (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164824343/)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5164826117_e47c688c97.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164826117/)
Stairway up to over the stone bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164826117/)

(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1185/5164829345_22e6872ac5.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164829345/)
Final stairs up to top of platform (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164829345/)

(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1309/5164827687_ebdf524072.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164827687/)
The stone bridge (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5164827687/)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: Calimero on November 10, 2010, 11:33:39 PM

Looks good. Can you post a picture or two with a figure for scale?
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: General on November 11, 2010, 02:21:27 AM
Anyone have a Gordon Freeman figure?
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: Burgundavia on November 11, 2010, 05:32:22 AM
Sadly I have no pictures of it when it was in its all black undercoat (hence the name in the title), but I did find a picture of it when it was as yet unpainted:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/5166149146_42e6d654c7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5166149146/)
Mesa, under construction (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5166149146/)

and two more from this evening with figures for scale:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5166151666_9423450cb9.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5166151666/)
Cultists on the arch (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5166151666/)

(http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1366/5166150108_2d6863b964.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5166150108/)
Driving under the Mesa's arch (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5166150108/)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: Wirelizard on November 11, 2010, 08:07:45 AM
The brown you see near the stone archway is terracotta milliput for extending a few platforms I was a bit too hasty/aggressive in sanding down.

This technique is of course (c)Silent Invader, who I got the idea from after seeing his mountain terrain thread a year or so back here on LAF.

It looks much more exotic in the photos than it does taking up the kitchen counter! (I've been helping Burgundavia paint and finish this thing!)

Not sure he mentioned dimensions; the whole thing is on a base 2" per side, and it's slightly over a foot tall at the top of the tallest spire. The plateau part is 6" above the ground. There's the path with carved stairs up and over the arch and up the one side of the mesa, but what we haven't yet gotten a photo of is the road up, which starts on the far side of the arch and goes up around two sides, then switchbacks once, ending in the central plateau part between all the spires.

It's light enough for one person to carry easily, although large enough that two is often a good idea... especially when it's covered in wet paint and being moved into the garage to dry!
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: Oliver on November 11, 2010, 11:41:48 AM
Anyone have a Gordon Freeman figure?

I think Kursan do a 15mm one

But no 28mm one :( nor alex or head crabs etc.
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: Calimero on November 11, 2010, 12:07:30 PM

Thanks for the pictures with figures. Nice choice of figures BTW. It give the whole thing a nice Pulpy feel… I’m sure it will look good with any periods anyway 8)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP
Post by: Burgundavia on November 13, 2010, 09:00:58 AM
The mesa is basically done now. The only thing left is the rope bridge, which will be just about dead centre in this image:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/5171467928_4664659584.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5171467928/)
The tortuous path (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5171467928/)

Other closeups:
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/5170681497_c2529c0696.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5170681497/)
Truck on the road down (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5170681497/)

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/5171281108_35d9e72c92.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5171281108/)
Truck climbing the hill (http://www.flickr.com/photos/coreyburger/5171281108/)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: alone_withmyaxe on November 13, 2010, 11:40:45 AM
This is a lovely piece  :-*

I have been meaning to ask for an age where is the best place to get hold of that foam/polystyrene that every one uses for these awesome scenery pieces?

I am in the UK so if it can be special ordered from wicks or similar that would be great to know!

Again this is an ace piece!
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Ray Rivers on November 13, 2010, 01:11:57 PM
I'm waiting for the rope bridge to tell you how great it looks.   ::)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Burgundavia on November 13, 2010, 06:20:37 PM
This is a lovely piece  :-*

I have been meaning to ask for an age where is the best place to get hold of that foam/polystyrene that every one uses for these awesome scenery pieces?

I am in the UK so if it can be special ordered from wicks or similar that would be great to know!

Again this is an ace piece!

As part of the (somewhat surprisingly large) Canadian brigade here on LAF, I have no idea where one might buy the dense blue or pink foam in the UK. I would get a brand name from a website like Home Despot (err, make that Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com)) and then ask in a local hardware store if they carry that.
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Connectamabob on November 14, 2010, 01:21:27 AM
Looking at the pics, I'm strongly reminded of that one section of the original Half Life where you have to make your way across a cliff face. Ahhhh, dropping snarks on the heads of unsuspecting soldiers for a laugh... and that bit at the end with the ladders, made me feel all acrophobic despite just being a game. Dang, that takes me back.

Very cool piece.
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: anevilgiraffe on November 14, 2010, 10:13:38 PM
This is a lovely piece  :-*

I have been meaning to ask for an age where is the best place to get hold of that foam/polystyrene that every one uses for these awesome scenery pieces?

I am in the UK so if it can be special ordered from wicks or similar that would be great to know!

Antenociti's Workshop stocks some of various thicknesses... or just search eBay for blue foam and you'll find some easily enough...
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: FramFramson on November 15, 2010, 03:43:56 AM
Your local builder's supply also ought to have some? Least ways they do 'round here, though it's pink.
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Wirelizard on November 15, 2010, 03:51:01 AM
Your local builder's supply also ought to have some? Least ways they do 'round here, though it's pink.

Brits and Europeans sometimes have trouble finding insulation board for some reason, even the ones in countries as cold as Darkest Canuckistan. That's why specialty wargaming stores like Antenociti's Workshop carry it. (he also stocks more thicknesses than our local Home Despot, mind you)

Even better, the stuff Burgundavia used for this project was salvage, so total money spent on the whole thing is approximately zero (barring that we had paint/glue/sand/flocking/etc already). Zero is an excellent amount of money to spend on scenery.  ;)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: odd duck on November 15, 2010, 04:42:48 AM
Great looking terrain piece guys! :o looking forward to seeing the rope bridge
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Gandalf on November 15, 2010, 05:30:09 AM
...I have been meaning to ask for an age where is the best place to get hold of that foam/polystyrene that every one uses for these awesome scenery pieces?...
I came across some pink insulation board in B&Q the day before yesterday in the section with the loft boards.
Jewsons also stock polyurethane foam insulation.
http://www.jewson.co.uk/en/templates/product/templateA.jsp?pageType=Product&itemId=prod350012 (http://www.jewson.co.uk/en/templates/product/templateA.jsp?pageType=Product&itemId=prod350012)
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Connectamabob on November 15, 2010, 07:42:04 PM
Extruded Polystyrene Insulation is a lot more regional that people often seem to assume. Dunno why that is, either why it's available in some areas but not others, or why people are so quick assume it's ubiquitous when it really isn't.

The stuff doesn't exist anywhere within 400 miles of where I live. I'd have to have it shipped to me from out of state, and probably end up paying two or three times its off the shelf price in the process. I don't hold it against people that they have access to materials I don't, but you can only hear/read that "just get some some blue/pink foam, and..." type line so many times before the assumption starts to get irritating.
Title: Re: (not) Black Mesa project - WIP (New photos Nov 13)
Post by: Burgundavia on November 15, 2010, 11:27:34 PM
Even better, the stuff Burgundavia used for this project was salvage, so total money spent on the whole thing is approximately zero (barring that we had paint/glue/sand/flocking/etc already). Zero is an excellent amount of money to spend on scenery.  ;)

More money for beer. I got lucky in that I worked for the local lantern festival, which had junk choroplast (corrugated plastic) from signs and the foam board from lantern floats that were already on their way out. Total cost for this piece was somewhere under $20 and I wouldn't be shocked if it was under $10 (CAD, about $100 american these days. I kid...)