...Because all this ruminating on a modern city scape for playing All Things Zombie had to turn into action sometime!
Spent some time in the very late hours last night trying to figure out the practicalities of my plans. I was ready to make some boards from foamcore, and I have to admit I was looking forward to showing off my OCD inspired planning for interlocking the various sections. But I was undone by the scale. Blast it. What I had planned was great, but the width of each lane on the road was making the boards too big to fit through the hatch to the loft. And it would have taken a terribly large amount of foamcore to make it all. And because I am determined to do all this on as low a budget as possible, I decided this morning (thanks to a generous mug of coffee) to go ahead and use the other side of four of my polystyrene 2' square boards. This plan creates a bigger space and I can use the boards for both the city centre and the town locations for ATZ, thus saving duplicating work and saving time in construction. This, I reckoned, wouldn't cost me a penny, and would hardly add to the space they take in the garage anyway. Of course, not long after I got the boards from my garage the heavens opened once more, reminding me of the inherent flaw in using my garage for storage, but there you go. Beggars can't be choosers!
Anyway, here's the polystyrene boards, from those halcyon days of wargaming before everything had to be braced and fitted to mdf to protect the boards whilst simultaneously destroying your dining room table! They may have taken a battering, but they still around!
And here's four of them, laid out so I can enjoy the satisfaction of a smug smile as I contemplate the full joy of 16 square feet of Zombie carnage that lies ahead!
Here's my foamcore. Just a little sheet of course. As with all of my foamcore, it comes from some point of sale advertising from a certain electrical store a number of years ago. It's amazing what shops will give you if you ask nicely. In fact, it's worth mentioning that I originally asked them for some of their foamcore signs both for my hobby and for making props for a youth drama group I was running at the time. The shop was delighted to hand over stuff by the boot load as it saved them paying a fortune for it to be uplifted. I also found out that the idea had been passed on to other stores up and down the country. Which means I still have a warm glow inside when I think of the way its helped young people in drama groups and done some good for the environment too!
As you can see from the next shot, Alec, Jenny, Gus and Baz even turned up when they heard the set was under construction! I always like to have a few miniatures on hand when I start making scenery as I like to use them as a way of checking that everything looks right.
Here I am using a simple method described by Emmanuel Nouaillier for removing the card from one side of the foamcore. You start with a small cut underneath the card at one corner and then gently pull it back, using the metal ruler to stop you puling too much and risk ripping the card. And I have to say it works like a dream too. None of this wetting the card (which causes warping) or using a hairdryer (don't ask) as I've seen some people wax lyrical about.
This is the result, and I have to say it works a dream. Thanks, Emmanuel!
Here's a shot of the reverse side of the pavements. I've cut a groove half way into the bottom of one of the curb stones.
When you put it the right way up, you have a typical american road drain. Simple, but effective.
And after a few hours of cutting, here's how everything will look when its glued down.
Now, I'm aware that it doesn't look like all that much at this point, but I'm really pleased at the progress. A four lane road with cross roads, two bus lanes with raised planting sections and pavements at the edges. Buildings will sit on these.
See you again soon!
Spent some time in the very late hours last night trying to figure out the practicalities of my plans. I was ready to make some boards from foamcore, and I have to admit I was looking forward to showing off my OCD inspired planning for interlocking the various sections. But I was undone by the scale. Blast it. What I had planned was great, but the width of each lane on the road was making the boards too big to fit through the hatch to the loft. And it would have taken a terribly large amount of foamcore to make it all. And because I am determined to do all this on as low a budget as possible, I decided this morning (thanks to a generous mug of coffee) to go ahead and use the other side of four of my polystyrene 2' square boards. This plan creates a bigger space and I can use the boards for both the city centre and the town locations for ATZ, thus saving duplicating work and saving time in construction. This, I reckoned, wouldn't cost me a penny, and would hardly add to the space they take in the garage anyway. Of course, not long after I got the boards from my garage the heavens opened once more, reminding me of the inherent flaw in using my garage for storage, but there you go. Beggars can't be choosers!
Anyway, here's the polystyrene boards, from those halcyon days of wargaming before everything had to be braced and fitted to mdf to protect the boards whilst simultaneously destroying your dining room table! They may have taken a battering, but they still around!
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