[Podracer] Dino-Pod

[bigospedros]

NOW UPDATED - See pics of V2 below ...


Created for the FBTB 2009 Podracer Challenge ... this "Dino-Pod" racer is the meanest pod racer out there, chewing up the track at an awesome speed (not to mention chewing a few opponents should they get in the way ).



Further images can be see on my own Flickr page ... comments welcome (but try to be nice, this is my stab at a MOC on here!)

[Flynn]

I love the pods, very creative idea. The cockpit, though, could use a little work. Maybe if it was lengthened a bit, it'd work a little better, but other than that, it looks really nice. Great job!

[Gingerbeard Man]

That tail on the cockpit is really neat! I can just picture it swishing from side to side as the podracer speeds along.
A shame that it doesn't really show on the "main pic" (ie. the one you posted here).

[Galagoo]

You could also try to improve the rears of the engines, adding more greebles and other structure. The superb dino heads really make them look rather plain..

I'd also recommend taking a new overall image from another angle in order to show the tail better. It's indeed too cool to be inproperly visible.

[bigospedros]

I assume those that are saying you can't see the tail properly aren't clicking on the link to Flickr ? There are plenty of pics of the tail there

[bigospedros]

*Update*

Based on the feedback and my own personal unhappiness with the back of the engines and also some other bits I wasn't quite happy with, I've made Version 2 this evening. I will take pictures tomorrow. I assume I can update my entry into the comp ?

[bigospedros]

Sorry for 3 posts in a row ... but please find below pictures of the new and improved second version of my Podracer :



Further pictures here

I made a change to the front of the engines, because what I really wanted was the mouth to be open and more menacing ... I think I achieved that quite well :



I also really needed to do an update to the back on the engines. I must admit, in the first iteration, they were a bit rushed and I wasn't happy with them. So, here's the new version ... again, I think an improvement :



And as a few of you comments, here's a deeplinked photo of the tail ... it's entirely moveable, so can swipe a few opposition Pods out of the way in the race!



I'm done tinkering now ...

[Galagoo]

It's looking way better, very nice improvements. The new mouths for the dinos are really cool - the red, blocky inside giving an odd yet wicked impression - and the new engine back suit the thing fairly well.
The engine tips look interesting, too, although some more traditional structure built with various round bricks might work even better.

As for the tail issue, I meant that when you take the "official" picture (the final one you're going to post in the contest thread and on which the judging is usually based), you might want it to have a clear shot of the neat tail.

[bigospedros]

I'm glad you like the improvements

I'm not entirely sure I can angle a picture to get the necessary features of the engines *and* the tail in one photo. I'll just have to hope people vote based on viewing the whole gallery rather than the 1 picture I posted in the Comp thread.

[Galagoo]

Hmm, good point.

Anyways, another idea popped up in my head. The ends of the cables, the spots where some flames are currently sprouting out of.. How would it look if you replaced the flames with chains and attached them on the rear of the pod, close to the other chains. How well would that work?

[bigospedros]

hmmm ... not sure ... too late now anyway ... it's been mostly dismantled