{"id":122489,"date":"2020-11-29T16:00:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-29T13:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2020-11-29T16:00:34","modified_gmt":"2020-11-29T13:00:34","slug":"zero-dawn-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Zero Dawn\u2019 \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28b7c01008a\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28b7c01008a\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#Too_Good_to_Resist\" >Too Good to Resist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#What_Have_I_Done\" >What Have I Done?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#Doing_Right_by_the_Designer\" >Doing Right by the Designer<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#The_Build\" >The Build<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#The_Result\" >The Result<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#The_Difference\" >The Difference<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/zero-dawn-review-geek\/#Was_It_Worth_It\" >Was It Worth It?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Zero Dawn\u2019 \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_60860\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60860 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/56f38a8f8544d4397dd2717def353ae9\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x8bc2a093.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.eZK29rMjW5.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>LEGO is great. LEGO is also expensive, and though it\u2019s pretty ubiquitous in its partnerships, not every single thing you could possibly imagine is available as an official set. So if you\u2019ve been obsessed with <em>Horizon: Zero Dawn<\/em> for months, and you desperately want a giant LEGO Thunderjaw (the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>\u2019s iconic robot T-rex), what\u2019s a LEGO nerd to do?<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Too_Good_to_Resist\"><\/span>Too Good to Resist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Assuming that you don\u2019t also have hundreds of thousands of loose LEGO pieces with which to design and build your own set, you have a few other options. The \u201cMy Own Creation\u201d (MOC) community can supply you with a design and step-by-step instructions, like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rebrickable.com\/mocs\/MOC-15474\/brickvault\/thunder-jaw\/#details\">this massive 4743-piece LEGO Thunderjaw from designer Nicola Stocchi<\/a>. Sites like Rebrickable can help you find and purchase the individual parts you need from sellers around the world.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4ORHT0W8r8Y\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=4ORHT0W8r8Y<\/a><\/p>\n<p>But there\u2019s a downside: price. Official LEGO sets tend to average about ten cents per piece, more for licensed properties, a little less for the really big sets. So if that design was made as a \u201creal\u201d LEGO set, it would be somewhere in the range of $450-500.<\/p>\n<p>But buying a massive custom project, piece by piece, can really rack up that price. According to Rebrickable, getting about 90% of those common parts from one shop would cost somewhere around $600-700. Using its multi-buy tool to get every single piece from dozens of independent shops, the cost comes out to a soul-crushing $1,123, plus a whopping $440 for shipping. Suddenly that massive, beautiful robot costs more than 30 cents a piece!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-60843 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/7cbdbcca40663926f3ed694c75c430c9\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x47557f7c.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.ZEifvRe0e1.jpg\" alt=\"Rebrickable multi-buy screenshot\" width=\"1902\" height=\"1059\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>LEGO can get expensive, but even the most ardent collector might balk at those prices. And I did. And then I cheated.<\/p>\n<p>While searching for some<em> Horizon: Zero Dawn<\/em> memorabilia on an auction site, I spotted the Thunderjaw design I\u2019d been drooling over for more than a year\u2026 sold not as a set of instructions, but as a full building set with pieces, delivered to my door like a conventional LEGO set. What was even more amazing was that it was selling for $152 with free shipping\u2014less than many real LEGO sets, and an absolute steal considering that its nearly 5,000 pieces worked out to only about two cents a piece!<\/p>\n<p>Once I paid for the set, I noticed that the listing very carefully omitted the word \u201cLEGO,\u201d and that it was shipping from China. The penny dropped: This was a seller who had taken the parts list from Nicola Stocchi\u2019s design, populated it with knock-off LEGO pieces (which are entirely legal, if nowhere near as good as the real thing), and created an ad-hoc LEGO set of one of the most drool-worthy designs I\u2019d ever seen.<\/p>\n<p>If I was willing to work with substandard pieces, I could get the set all at once, for literal pennies on the dollar, and have a new stunning centerpiece to my collection. What\u2019s more, I\u2019d be able to build a creature design from one of my favorite video games (that LEGO will probably never license for itself), created by someone with far more talent than I. Even waiting for international shipping, it would come in much faster than waiting on parts from 44 different stores.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Have_I_Done\"><\/span>What Have I Done?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>DHL said it would be up to six weeks before I\u2019d get my pieces. I got them in just two, which is pretty great for shipping from China to Texas. I opened the unmarked box, and I was pleased to see it filled with dozens and dozens of numbered ziplock bags filled with unmarked pieces. It was just like a \u201creal\u201d LEGO set, minus the branding!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60845\" style=\"width: 4032px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60845 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/3b0c477d13386495547db6921469cac3\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x76889597.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.b52rOM4XCP.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO pieces in bags \" width=\"4032\" height=\"2268\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Inside were two cards: one with a <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">download<\/a> link for the PDF of the instructions (since an actual instruction booklet would have cost nearly as much to print as the pieces themselves), and a handy \u201cruler\u201d scale for the trickier bar and Technic pieces. The download card also informed me, to my im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>te dismay, that the numbered baggies didn\u2019t actually correspond to the order of the building instructions the way a real LEGO set does.<\/p>\n<p>That meant that I had nearly 5,000 loose pieces of not-LEGO. And in order to assemble this almost literal monster, I\u2019d have to search through it all, step by step, piece by piece.<\/p>\n<p>For a little context: The biggest and most complex set I\u2019d ever assembled before was the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lego.com%2Fen-us%2Fproduct%2Fthe-shield-helicarrier-76042&amp;key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482\"><em>Avengers<\/em> Helicarrier (set number 76042)<\/a>, a massive undertaking at just under 3,000 pieces. But the Helicarrier is basically a big boat with a few gears added on. It took me about 16 hours. The Thunderjaw has 60% more pieces, and it\u2019s a bipedal, almost \u201corganic\u201d design, similar in physical dimensions but much more complex and detailed.<\/p>\n<p>Even at this early stage, I could tell this was going to take a massive amount of time.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60846\" style=\"width: 4032px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60846 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/b59831e64e13284fb0c1b6c222c7d458\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x5b3a9a05.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic._xBeqzT_uu.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO pieces arranged into bowls \" width=\"4032\" height=\"2268\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>I started by separating the pieces by color into individual bowls \u2026 then into multiple bowls because the paper bowls I\u2019d bought weren\u2019t big enough. A little way into emptying the bags I spotted an error in my methodology and left the bags that had dozens of smaller identical pieces alone, the easier to find them later. It took me a solid two or three hours just to get all the pieces spread out on a 4\u2019x2\u2032 table \u2026 and the dozens of bowls and bags spilled over into another 2\u2019x2\u2032 table.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Doing_Right_by_the_Designer\"><\/span>Doing Right by the Designer<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Finally, I was able to start. I loaded up the PDF instructions file on my Lenovo Chromebook Duet, an extremely handy companion for this build. But when I did, I noticed that the file lacked any mention of designer Nicola Stocchi. I had to assume that the unscrupulous seller had stolen the design and was redistributing the instructions as an illegal download.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-60847 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/c2eaf28120b04536d01ce760350fe74d\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xca97386e.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.sMSP41_5Gq.jpg\" alt=\"Lego Thunderjaw instructions screenshot\" width=\"1287\" height=\"920\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><\/p>\n<p>To give credit (and money) where it was due, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brickvault.toys\/products\/the-thunderjaw\">I purchased Stocchi\u2019s instructions from Brick Vault<\/a>, where I knew he would get a royalty for his hard work on the initial design and the instructions themselves. The legitimate PDF file (which was a bit better organized, and had his copyright on every page) cost me $40.<\/p>\n<p>That brought my final, total cost for the Thunderjaw to $204.52, with an average piece price of a little more than two cents.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Build\"><\/span>The Build<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As I said earlier, the <em>Avengers<\/em> Helicarrier set took me approximately 16 hours from start to finish. For the Thunderjaw, I stopped counting at 20 \u2026 when I was about a third of the way done.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60848\" style=\"width: 4032px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60848 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/12b1002dd79f5061312775de9d7832cb\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xa506e125.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.gEw1q8Uv7z.jpg\" alt=\"Lego Thunderjaw skeleton\" width=\"4032\" height=\"2268\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Finding the necessary pieces, with almost five thousand of them laid out before me, was definitely the biggest time sink. Eventually, I had to start subdividing my color-coded bowls even further, because finding the right tiny variation on a 2\u00d71 black Technic piece among 300 others could take me 15 minutes or more. I developed techniques of sifting through the pieces, from one bowl to the other, almost like an old-fashioned gold panner.<\/p>\n<p>I cannot overstate the frustration that this process gave me, especially in the few times a colored piece wasn\u2019t in the bowl I was expecting. I got to the point that I was setting aside particularly hard-to-find pieces on their own.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60849\" style=\"width: 4032px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60849 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/db18c2ab4af9cd6624a5eff7d719a9f2\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x49fcc164.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.T6B5aMWcpU.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw skeleton and legs \" width=\"4032\" height=\"2268\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The instructions didn\u2019t help with the speed. Reading the 3D-rendered and presumably machine-assisted instructions\u2014over 1,700 individual steps\/pages!\u2014made me appreciate the care and design that goes into LEGO\u2019s professional booklets. At some points steps would consist of just one tiny stud or joint added, while others would be a large step that might take 5 or 10 minutes just in assembly. And there\u2019s none of the handy \u201cx4, do this four times\u201d a veteran LEGO builder might be used to.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60850\" style=\"width: 4032px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60850 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/830e9fdb63e5cfc38954c13c98e6fb78\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xdac4584c.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.m2IzufYKuQ.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw head\" width=\"4032\" height=\"2268\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The build was both more complex and more precarious than a typical LEGO build because the Thunderjaw is pretty spry as a creature design. The massive robot of the game doesn\u2019t have to adhere to actual physics, but to make it stand up on its own two feet in LEGO form, the designer had to incorporate a Technic weight-bearing frame under the belly. The \u201cskeleton\u201d of the Thunderjaw is incredibly complex and a little flimsy, acting as a frame for its bow-shaped body and tons of add-on armor pieces.<\/p>\n<p>There are a lot of unconventional interesting decisions in the main build.\u00a0The blue machine \u201ceyes\u201d of the Thunderjaw are <em>Star Wars<\/em> lightsaber blades in long plastic piping, and a few details are done out in bat wings and motorcycle handles. There\u2019s an amazing amount of engineering and creativity on display here.<\/p>\n<p>Stochi\u2019s instructions were to build the main skeleton and body first, complete with the legs. It then has you build about half a dozen large add-on pieces, separate and without attachment\u2014the head, two tail sections, the \u201cdisc launchers\u201d on its haunches, the radar array, the long, spiny antennas, the two rear cylinders, and the machine guns and \u201cammo belts\u201d attached to the head. On top of that, there are another two dozen decorative armor \u201cplates\u201d that finally finish it off.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60851\" style=\"width: 4032px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60851 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/96c5fe17c8a8ebeca1e1bdb8028377a9\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x7bae2ff8.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.vINJMxMhM-.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw secondary pieces \" width=\"4032\" height=\"2268\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Putting this together took about three weeks, putting in hours after work and on the weekends. I\u2019m not going to pretend that I didn\u2019t have fun\u2014I wouldn\u2019t have spent that much dough if I wasn\u2019t reasonably sure of a good time, and it\u2019s not as if my social calendar is packed during COVID. But it\u2019s easily the most difficult,frustrating experience I\u2019ve ever had with LEGO (or indeed, \u201cLEGO\u201d).<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Result\"><\/span>The Result<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019m going to need a bigger shelf.<\/p>\n<p>Setting aside the headache of actually building this thing, the end result is glorious. It\u2019s 32 inches long and 15 inches high (not counting those narrow antennas), and wonderfully detailed: Fans of the game will be able to spot almost all of the pieces they\u2019re used to shooting off with Aloy\u2019s arrows and gadgets.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60861\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60861 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/f02c1d724a1899d4ccaac245c956a267\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xf14bf8f6.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.5UHrmL63ML.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw completed\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1321\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This even extends to the interior sections of the design: In the middle of that hulking beast is a mechanical \u201cheart,\u201d which you can pull out and examine (if you\u2019re careful and patient). The scale of this thing is even approximately correct to LEGO minifigs \u2026 though if anyone\u2019s selling a customized <em>Horizon: Zero Dawn<\/em> Aloy minifig, I haven\u2019t been able to find one.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60855\" style=\"width: 2016px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60855 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/dc387d4a832103962cb8e3861bfe0fef\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x888b7e35.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.DBGrw4laoQ.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw completed\" width=\"2016\" height=\"1512\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This set is impressive not just because of the scale or because of the remarkable design and engineering that went into it, but because LEGO is a great medium for this model in particular. LEGO makes some great robots in the official sets, like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07D4BWZ3T\/?tag=reviewgeek-20\">Voltron<\/a>, the <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/redirect.viglink.com?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLEGO-Super-Heroes-The-Hulkbuster-Ultron-Edition-76105%2F502465747&amp;key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482\">Hulkbuster<\/a>, or even the more \u201ckiddie\u201d designs in <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07GX7RNGB\/?tag=reviewgeek-20\">smaller sets<\/a>. (LEGO even has <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07NRT2CJR?tag=reviewgeek-20\">an \u201cofficial\u201d Jurassic World robot T-rex<\/a>!) Combine some care loving custom work with the wonderful creative design that went into <em>Horizon<\/em>, and you have something truly special.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60854\" style=\"width: 2016px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60854 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/cd1df55486efe17f4352ff3251a79d1f\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xa32483ca.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.zyn37pKWys.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw, from top\" width=\"2016\" height=\"1512\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Thunderjaw isn\u2019t my favorite LEGO (\u201cLEGO\u201d) set ever\u2014that honor still goes to the <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B07FQ3KF2B\/?tag=reviewgeek-20\">007 Aston Martin<\/a><\/span>. But it\u2019s definitely the most impressive piece I\u2019ve ever personally worked on. I just dread having to move the damn thing ever again.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Difference\"><\/span>The Difference<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I\u2019ve already mentioned what a headache it was to sift through 5,000 pieces all at once, and how it wasn\u2019t helped by instructions that were poorly executed compared to an authentic LEGO build. Eventually, I developed even more techniques, like mirror-building the symmetrical armor sections, to save myself some time. But there are other factors that come into play that make a large MOC design more difficult.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60853\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60853 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/ab418ab03e3a22a860b5a10e2b2b0ca2\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/xbd536fca.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.SdjwlV4jWM.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw haunches, disc launcher\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1137\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>First of all, the Thunderjaw is incredibly fragile, even compared to the most complex LEGO designs. It\u2019s definitely a display piece model, not a toy. Despite a few pieces like the neck, tail, and disc launchers being posable, if you move stuff around without the utmost care, it comes apart. The ball joint of the tail is almost constantly loose. This is especially true of the decorative armor pieces, which are attached by just one stud or bar each.<\/p>\n<p>Part of this is because MOC designers aren\u2019t held to the same standard of engineering as LEGO designers\u2014they can make things a little more precarious, knowing that adult builders don\u2019t need their hands held as much as children. I\u2019ve made a few smaller MOCs and built my own, so I was prepared for that. But part of it, I\u2019m sure, is that I was using knock-off LEGO pieces, which aren\u2019t created with the same exacting manufacturing tolerances as authentic ones.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60856\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60856 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/830f9fbaa6af6d711268356674be589e\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x4e37effc.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.v8YAn6ji1d.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw completed\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1513\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>On a small build, this isn\u2019t really a big deal. On a build of this size and complexity, the problems of loose and\/or tight start multiplying. At several points (especially on the armor pieces) I had to redesign some of the model on the fly, making it more rigid and less flexible to accommodate those substandard pieces. There was <span class=\"htgeditornotesel\">only one error\u00a0<\/span>in the instructions themselves (page 247 and 258, a one-stud spacing issue) for which I was able to adjust.<\/p>\n<p>On a couple of occasions, I had to use pliers to get pieces apart from one another. The long plastic tubes that hold the \u201cmachine gun ammo\u201d together s<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">trip<\/a>ped themselves as I slid the pieces down them. I had to use the Kragle (super glue) at two points on the radar dish to make sure it could support its own weight. Yeah, there are compromises.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60857\" style=\"width: 1159px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60857 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/1338f7df9fd3ca342c47a934c7b51995\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x545d07fe.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.dFzdnH_M8Z.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw MOC instructions\" width=\"1159\" height=\"1074\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Each of these armor pieces is connected with just one bar. I had to redesign the top parts: The knock-off LEGO pieces came loose from the single stud connection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Also, the set was missing about a dozen pieces. Which I was expecting, to be honest, after compromising to save myself hundreds of dollars on this build. I was able to redesign around them, with a little bit of substitution from my own loose LEGO collection. (There are about six authentic LEGO pieces in there somewhere.) What\u2019s odd is that I had about 100 leftover pieces, much much more than the typical \u201cspillover\u201d in a standard LEGO set.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the pieces were clearly used, too \u2026 including some of the big decorative pieces on the outside. One of the Thunderjaw\u2019s big white mandibles had very visible scratches on it right out of the bag. Again, it\u2019s an acceptable compromise considering how much money I saved, and those imperfections aren\u2019t any more visible from a foot or two away than the missing LEGO logos on the individual studs.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Was_It_Worth_It\"><\/span>Was It Worth It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The finished product speaks for itself. Even with a few less-flattering alterations to the armor pieces, the Thunderjaw is the biggest and most impressive piece in my LEGO (or \u201cLEGO\u201d) collection, by far. I don\u2019t regret the time and effort I put into it, and I think the money I saved is an acceptable trade-off for the end result.<\/p>\n<p>That said, while I accepted the drop in piece quality and the extra time it took to sift through all those loose pieces, I really didn\u2019t appreciate the seller straight-up stealing Nicola Stocchi\u2019s work. Even though I\u2019ve paid him myself, I won\u2019t be buying a set like this again if I have any feeling that it\u2019s a similar situation.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_60852\" style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-60852 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/thumbcache\/0\/0\/5e42e1ed85699d756416ea498fcef3c7\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/x22f1065d.jpg.pagespeed.gp+jp+jw+pj+ws+js+rj+rp+rw+ri+cp+md.ic.ZmORDInA50.jpg\" alt=\"LEGO Thunderjaw head\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1507\" data-credittext=\"Michael Crider\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Michael Crider<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>And yeah, the time. The <em>time<\/em>. I\u2019m still going to buy LEGOs and thoroughly enjoy them, but the extra time it took to find pieces and work around the less-than-professional instructions means I\u2019m not in a hurry to build any similarly scaled MOCs any time soon, with or without authentic LEGO pieces.<\/p>\n<hr\/>\n<p>If you want to see what\u2019s possible with aftermarket LEGO designs, do a search for MOC instructions\u00a0 and check them out for yourself. You can see how much a design would cost in terms of parts before buying it from sites like <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rebrickable.com\/mocs\/#hottest\">Rebrickable<\/a> and <a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brickvault.toys\/\">Brick Vault<\/a>. My advice: Start with something much, much smaller.\n<\/div>\n<p><script>setTimeout(function(){!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s){if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window,document,'script','https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');fbq('init','1137093656460433');fbq('track','PageView');},3000);<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/60841\/i-spent-200-on-fake-lego-to-make-the-robot-t-rex-from-horizon-zero-dawn\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Zero Dawn\u2019 \u2013 Review Geek&#8221; Michael Crider LEGO is great. LEGO is also expensive, and though it\u2019s pretty ubiquitous in its partnerships, not every single thing you could possibly imagine is available as an official set. So if you\u2019ve been obsessed with Horizon: Zero Dawn for months, and you desperately want a giant LEGO Thunderjaw&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":122490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2020\/11\/8bc2a093.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-122489","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122489","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=122489"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/122489\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/122490"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=122489"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=122489"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=122489"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}