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Saturday, August 27, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Bahrzot 3.0


Alright, I'm just gonna say it.  "It's clobberin' time!"  This Hero Factory brute has a lot in common with Thing from the Fantastic Four.  Big fan of punching through walls and other solid objects.  Headstrong.  Just plain strong. 


  • Role: Demolition

  • Animal power: "Silverback" Gorilla

  • Weapon: Hydraulic megafists

  • Special ability: Concussion blast

Like a Strong Man champion, Bahrzot (first name Krubriq) is one tough son of a gun, and very few things you & I know of can stand in his way for long.  His only notable weakness is a lack of any true ranged attack, though there is a caveat to that -- read on...
Fun facts:
  • Bahrzot aims his megafist augments at each other and fires them simultaneously to generate his trademark spherical concussive blast.  This allows him to knock back enemy mobs.

  • A relatively rarely-used attack option is for Bahrzot to take to one knee and activate his megafists towards the ground at a shallow angle.  This transmits a shockwave through the ground, with a damaging distance of up to 20 yards.  If he does this with his arms spread apart, he can vary the angle of the fists to create two separate shockwaves that cross at a specific point and cause focused damage.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Shameless photo & video thieves of the month


I've made a few posts in the past regarding the petty criminal act of plagiarism (taking other peoples' work and publishing it as your own), but the problem sadly persists.

Thankfully readers like you reported the following LEGO Hero Factory gallery users who had stolen photos of my MOCs of Specter 2.0, The Drone, Blanko 1.9, Ruze 2.0, Alba 2.0, QUADRO, Bulk 2.0, and Stringer 2.0:
  • matthewtom01

  • julianbw

  • josephkeung994

  • rexdraco99

  • m1970arcelo

  • patrirck0079

In addition, user vzrosiedeti on YouTube stole several of my 1.0-series Hero Factory set review videos and re-uploaded them to his own channel.

As of this moment, all of these copied materials have been deleted off the face of the planet by LEGO and YouTube!


As I've stated before, and as should be well-known by everyone, copying other peoples' work is immoral, unethical, and illegal.  It is bad.  Do not do it.  You will get caught.  You will be punished.  You will be shamed.

To everyone who reported these criminals, I thank you soundly, and encourage you to continue your vigilance!  When you see that someone has been wronged, you should say something about it to the people who are affected and/or those who can do something about it.  Together, we will at least keep the LEGO world clean and honest, so we can spend most of our time having fun with our sets and/or making MOCs!

Update:  Added one more to the list, patrirck0079!

PS:  I want to be clear that making a LEGO creation that looks like someone else's is not wrong or bad.  I welcome anyone at any time to duplicate any of my MOCs if you so please, without asking permission.  That's fair game, just don't try to take credit for creating the original design.  In other words, give credit where credit is due, just like you'd want me to do if I copied one of your MOCs.  It would be messed up if I copied your work and posted it like I came up with the idea, right?  What the folks listed above did wrong was to actually copy my own photographs that I took with my camera, and use them as their own, and in some cases they added insult to injury by even coming up with new names & backstories.

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Avenn 3.0


The latest rockin' LEGO Hero Factory hero to join the Savage Planet missions is Avenn 3.0.
  • Role: Frontline soldier

  • Animal power: Golden Eagle

  • Weapon: Minimine cannons

  • Special ability: Flight



Avenn is bad to the bone with the personality of an untouchable superhero -- cocky, yet somehow cool at the same time.  His twin mini-mine cannons can be used for direct suppressive fire or to lay traps for moving enemies.  Avenn is not one to let a villain flee.  He'll take flight and lay a calculated, perilous path with his mines, corralling his enemy into a situation from which it cannot escape.  Avenn doesn't take prisoners, and he doesn't take "no" for an answer.
Frequently asked questions:
  • Q: Why is the head not just mounted in the normal spot place?

    • A1:  Because I liked it like this :)

    • A2:  I needed to move the head upward just slightly -- no more, no less.  In the standard position it's just too low and made it look like the neck was squished while limiting turning side to side.

  • Q: Why is the helmet color not matched to the other gold parts?

    • A1:  Because I liked it like this :)

    • A2:  No, really, that's why.

  • Q: Can Avenn shoot while flying?

    • A: Very much so.  He has wrists, not to mention that while in flight he can still bend his arms however he likes for a couple seconds while in a glide.  Flap, flap, turn & look, shoot, extend, flap, flap...

Monday, August 22, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Quaza Snake


The latest LEGO Hero Factory villain training module gives an overview of the Quaza Snake.  The curiously double-headed Quaza Snake has been encountered on the planet Quatros during the Savage Planet missions, but it is reported to have been spotted on other planets as well.

Friday, August 19, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Breez 3.0


Many have us have wondered where Breez went after the 3.0 upgrade, but the fact is, she didn't go anywhere.  We just haven't seen her.  Or heard her.
  • Role: Special Ops

  • Animal power: Green Mamba

  • Weapon: "Venom" EMP blaster

  • Special ability: Silent movement

Recognized for extraordinary courage and cunning in battle, Breez has been put on "Special Ops" duty for the Savage Planet missions, taking direction straight from the upper echelon at the Hero Factory and engaging in dangerous secret missions.
Fun fact:
  • Breez actually aborted her own first Savage Planet mission just seconds before landing on Quatros about a mile from the Alpha Team.  She immediately realized that to be an effective combattant, she needed a blade weapon to complement her assigned "Venom" blaster.  She returned with the large curved blade she now always deploys with.  It is used primarily for clearing thick foliage when she is escaping at the end of a mission, though she occasionally uses it for defensive purposes.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Rocka 2.0 Replica Edition


My first Rocka 2.0 MOC received a lot of criticism in spite of my copious disclaimers and repeated explanation that I had simply put together real LEGO Hero Factory parts that actually exist in real life to the best of my ability in a best effort to approximate the official CG version of the character.

Well, that's all behind me now, because the new Rocka 2.0 Replica Edition does it all better, coming much closer to a proper, accurate rendition by cutting, painting, and combining different parts.  Check it out...

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Pilox

This LEGO Hero Factory villain training module briefly covers the Pilox, an 8-legged, spider-like scavenger/hunter native to the planet Quatros.  The Heroes will encounter both corrupted and free-spirited Pilox during the Savage Planet missions.
Read on for the full transcript of the narration...

Hello, hero, and welcome to the villain training module for the Pilox.

Contrary to common belief, the Pilox are not spiders, but rather spider-like creatures known as a Harvesters. They are both scavengers and hunters. Essentially they roam endlessly and devour anything that either moves or ever moved.

With their long legs and adhesive feet, Pilox can traverse any terrain except open water, and they are capable of sprinting forward at great speeds, though they lack the stamina to run for long distances.

If you are certified and equipped to battle a Pilox, maintain constant movement in a roughly circular pattern around the creature and disable its legs one by one.  If you are not certified, seek cover in a small space and simply wait for it to leave.

This concludes this villain training module. 

New LEGOJANG Facebook fan page


I don't know how many of you use Facebook or would have any interest in following me there, but I figured it'd be worth finding out!  Come on over to the new page, say "hello," hit "Like," and share some photos of your own MOCs if you like!
To be honest and let you know up front & in advance, since I have five YouTube channels with almost 800 videos getting commented on, and I also run a forum with over 25,000 members & 1 million posts, I won't be able to give any more personal attention on Facebook than I do on my LEGO YouTube channel or in comments here.  There's just not enough time in the day and in order to reply to more comments & messages, I'd have to do less videos & other stuff!  I do promise, however, to do my best to at least read every single post & look at every photo.  If a fair number of folks Like & follow the Facebook page, I'll definitely do some exclusive things there on occasion and I'll sometimes post things there first before the blog and before making anything public on YouTube!

To kick things off, there's a post on the Facebook page mentioning a new MOC I haven't posted about anywhere else, and I'm giving folks an opportunity to make some guesses about the character in advance of the full unveiling, which I'll also do there on Facebook!

Have fun :)

Update:  The page now has a shortcut address, http://www.facebook.com/LEGOJANG

Monday, August 8, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Trachylomid


In this LEGO Hero Factory villain training module, we learn of the Trachylomid, a 4-legged, arguably insectlike water-striding carnivore native to the planet Quatros.
Read on for the full transcript of the narration...


Hello, hero, and welcome to the villain training module for the Trachylomid.
Trachylomids are medium-sized carnivores native to the planet Quatros. They are water striders, able to skim across any moderately still pool or small lake with ease thanks to their broad, microfillament-covered feet and surprisingly lightweight carapace.  Though the body is fairly long and wide, it is deceptively thin.

Trachylomids hunt by way of ambush. They lurk, perfectly still, close to the edge of the water, generally amongst aquatic plants or any overhanging foliage that can provide partial disguise.  Their eyes normally glow brightly, but to avoid giving away their position, they deactivate their own sight and rely upon highly sensitive vibration sensors in their tail-mounted fin, which can also be used to provide forward thrust when they attack.

If you are equipped and certified to battle Trachylomids, disrupt the water surface around then to cause them to lose footing and lose effective mobility.  This will allow you to safely attack.  If you are not certified, you should avoid foliage-lined waterways altogether.

This concludes this villain training module.

Friday, August 5, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory MOC: Quaza Ant


My first Lego Hero Factory Savage Planet villain MOC to be published (not the first to be built by any means) is a Quaza Elemental, specifically a Quaza Ant.  Details in the video:

Read on for a transcript of the narration...

Hello, hero, and welcome to the villain training module for the Quaza Ant.
Quaza ants were invented by Aldous Witch in his quest for total power and control. They are Quaza elementals, meaning their construction consists almost entirely of a covalent Quazine polymer, and their behavior is defined entirely by the direct influence of the Witch Doctor himself. Quaza ants are swift and possess an astonishingly acute sense of smell, though they lack the gift of sight. They are tireless at tracking down their prey and attack with their powerful pinching & slicing mandibles.
Oh, beware, Quaza ants are not small. The harmless larval form, shown here, measures nearly 40 centimeters in length. Fully-developed, these creatures have been known to surpass ten meters.
If you are equipped and certified to battle Quaza ants, you may engage them with ranged weaponry. Focus on the thorax, the section of the body at the base of the legs. If you are not certified, attempt to flee through dense foliage or narrow rock passages. Quaza ants are excellent at climbing, but can't seem to figure out how to progress through openings smaller than their own overall width.
This concludes this villain training mo-modu-module.

LEGO Hero Factory how-to: Witch Doctor head as a hero helmet

Last time I showed a way to use Fangz and Scorpio/Waspix heads as hero helmets, and this time I have a way to do it with Witch Doctor's head.  I hope this gets you thinking!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

LEGO Hero Factory how-to: Villain heads on 3.0 heroes

You asked for it, here it is.  My how-to showing the technique I used to affix Fangz and Waspix / Scorpio heads to my Boravus 3.0 and Lennick 3.0 MOCs.  Savage Planet villain heads as Hero Factory hero helmets may look pretty good, but the technique itself ain't good at all!  Works for display, but not play.  Good enough for photos, overview videos and basic stop motions, but not for regular use.

Now ya know!

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

(My) Witch Doctor is Dead!

When I get new LEGO Hero Factory sets in, I open them on camera, build them on camera, and then generally take them all apart for MOC-making as soon as the videos are done.  Rocka XL was the last of the heroes to fall this way, and now, the final Savage Planet holdout, the Witch Doctor himself, has been torn apart.  Literally. 

I won't be Witch-less for long, though.  I'm completing an epic Witch Doctor MOC on an extreme new scale!  I figure I have the extra parts, so I might as well use them.  The toughest thing will be keeping this as true to LEGO's basic Hero Factory building system as possible, like I'm doing with all of my HF MOCs now, avoiding the temptation to build from scratch with Bionicle & other Technic pieces.  This will be a challenge I haven't seen undertaken by anyone else as yet, so wish me luck!