The Lego Madhouse and Me


Welcome to The Lego Madhouse,

My name is Christopher Pearce, perhaps better known as CapnRex101 throughout the online Lego community. I am based in the UK and recently decided that I would embark on a somewhat ambitious project, that being to create my own MOC of Arkham Asylum.

On this blog I will document my progress surrounding the MOC, from initial designs to build pictures right through to the finished article, as well as giving some of my views on more general Lego news and sets.

Tuesday 22 January 2013

Arkham Asylum - Initial Concepts Part Four...

The last of my four concepts which I am going to present is based around the asylum as it appears in the fantastic Batman: Arkham Asylum video game. This version took a significant step up away from others, splitting the facility into separate buildings and also placing it on Arkham Island and while my design here is not entirely split up like the asylum in the game, I have aimed to capture the differing appearances of each section.

Arkham Asylum - Batman: Arkham Asylum Inspired Design

So, that is the last of my four concept drawings and now I leave it up to you. You may notice a poll which I have opened at the top of the page on the right hand side, there you can vote for your favourite of my ideas. Please look back over the four, select your favourite and vote. The results will decide which direction my Arkham Asylum MOC takes and while the final model will not look exactly like any of my initial ideas, the general theme and main basis of the design will be chosen from your votes.

The poll closes on the 31st of January at Midnight (GMT + 0.00) so make sure to cast your vote before then. Also, I would appreciate any messages on which aspects of each design in particular you like or dislike so please do not hesitate to contact me personally or post a comment below.

13 comments:

  1. If this is the design you end up pursuing, I'd love to see a greenhouse area flush with Ivy's plant life.

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    1. All four of these initial concepts are likely to be some way from the final version I produce, but I can assure you that wherever Poison Ivy's cell ends up being (the internal and external layouts will all be discussed later on in the design phase I hope), it will be in a greenhouse style and be filled with her planets and flowers.

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  2. Hello! I'll post my thoughts on each of the sketches. But before I start to rain feedback on you, I'd like to say that all of your plans for this project have gotten me really excited, and I'll be sure to follow your progress.

    And now to the feedback:

    The video game inspired sketch being my favorite as a whole, I'll start with that. First of all I love the idea of the underground Batcave and sewers, and I think they're a must to make the whole MOC much more interesting than it would be if it was just on a plain (irregular) cylinder. I think the sewers should be made of a mix of tan, dark tan, brown, dark orange (at least I think the color I'm thinking about is called that), grey in its different shades, and maybe even some green colors as mold, to match the feel of the sewers in the game.

    The green house is a lovely idea and it should be bursting with plants, have some vines breaking through the glass even. I like your idea of it coming partly out of the asylum.

    To make the roof more interesting, I'd probably put some window panels, a hatch to get inside would be nice, and of course, spotlights. And obviously gargoyles are a must, too.

    I think the rounded corners are a bit unfitting for a Gothic building, and therefore it would be better if the corners were at a 45 degree angle, or something. The towers could then follow that corner and be octagon-shaped. Or optionally at a 60 degree angle and the towers being hexagons.

    I was wondering what kind of buildings you were thinking of putting behind the main building? I do think the yard should have a graveyard somewhere.

    I'm not so sure about the shelter above the door, although you seem to like the idea very much since it's in pretty much all of your sketches. Well, as long as it's executed properly. A large clock on the facade would also look good, in my opinion.

    Well, I guess that's all for now. It's pretty late here now, so I think I won't be writing on the other sketches until tomorrow. Good luck for your MOC! I bet it'll be good!

    Roarsack

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    1. I intend to use a design for the sewers much as you have described it, plenty of masonry bricks will be included and all manner of different colours I hope to sell the run-down appearance.

      I think the greenhouse may eventually be entirely separated from the main building like the botanic gardens from the game. Quite why you would have botanic gardens at an asylum I have no idea, but it is an interesting setting so will doubtless be included.

      Details like these on the roof will be decided at a later date further into the design process. Spotlights and gargoyles will certainly be important, as well as a few skylights.

      Using octagonal towers is an excellent idea, I will definitely look into that. The current curved edges are again something which I will sort out in future designs, I agree that they are not very Gothic completely.

      I was thinking of perhaps patient isolation, the botanic gardens, guard huts and towers, and maybe a low security wing to go outside the main building.

      That shelter was more to fill the awkward area of blank wall above the door than anything else, which in the final design will not be a problem as it should have much more detail than these concepts of course.

      Many thanks for all of your ideas and suggestions, I will certainly look to incorporate some of them. Make sure to keep checking back for more updates.

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    2. Well, the botanic gardens are there because (at least in the game) the asylum used to be the Arkham family manor, and was then turned to be the facility's main building with additional buildings added. So, it makes sense for there to be botanic gardens next to an old, rich family's manor.

      Man, the yard has to be huge if you were to fit all those buildings in there!

      Ps. Just out of interest: the sketches are made with pencil, right? It's pretty hard to tell nowadays since computer-drawn stuff can look exactly like the real thing. But if so, your handwriting is very nice ;)
      BTW, are going to sketch the interiors, as well?

      PPs. Hah! I just realised that the hexagonal towers wouldn't work without the walls being at an awkward angle! Well, I'll put the blame on me being tired.

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    3. I had not thought of that, good point about the botanic gardens.

      The pictures here do not really get across the size I am hoping for. I am looking to build the model (very) approximately 80 studs across, so I should have plenty of room for all that I am hoping to put in. I think we will see exactly how large it will be when I get into more detail on turning my concept into Lego and seeing how feasible it all is. I have consulted a few people who have built brilliant rock walls in the past about how to go about that side of things and have bought rock pieces accordingly, in fact I have purchased 4000 dark grey slopes just this morning for a start. Therefore, I think I have a good idea of how big I can make it and still afford all the pieces.

      They are hand drawn, each one only took about 15 minutes, which is why they lack detail, it was more just about getting the shapes down on paper. This is my particularly tidy handwriting, but thanks.

      I do plan to sketch the interiors, as well as lots more external designs from all angles and floor plans for the inside.

      Hexagonal towers are achievable, but they would be more complicated, and putting floor inside them would be particularly challenging as well.

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    4. The hexagon towers wouldn't achievable the way I was thinking. But whatever, the octagonal shape is better, anyways.

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  3. In a further point, which inmates were you thinking of incarcerating in your Arkham?

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    1. All of the classics I hope, the Joker, Two-Face, Penguin, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, the Riddler, Bane, Mr Freeze, Catwoman and Killer Croc. I also plan to put in some cells which obviously belong to a certain villain who is not actually present in the asylum, for instance Maxie Zeus or the Ventriloquist, just like in the Batman: Arkham Asylum game.

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  4. Ah, cool, looking forward to seeing your take on a Mr Freeze containment cell. Just a thought, though... would Catwoman really belong in Arkham? She's not mentally in or in need of a specialist containment cell, so I can't help but wonder why she's there... maybe a break-in? :D

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    1. I had the same thought about Catwoman, she does not really belong there, but I have to include her somehow. I might end up putting her somewhere as an Easter Egg, possibly on the small section of Gotham City which I plan to build at the other end of the bridge.

      As for the cells, I am looking to make them very individual and customised to each of the villains who need special equipment or environments like Poison Ivy or Mr Freeze. I have quite a few white pieces and translucent parts to make snow and ice in his cell. Concepts for some of those will be coming soon.

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  5. Hi Christopher, just wanted to let you know that I voted for concept four but thought the fence from concept two (I think) would really look great. Good luck with the project an look forward to seeing build pics.

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    1. OK, the final model will likely be significantly changed from these concepts, and sections will be brought in from each idea I imagine. The Arkham sign for instance, will almost certainly make it into the MOC in the end.

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