The latest 10K Club Interview visits the uncharted universe of No Man’s Sky. Meet Quinten, a.k.a. nasa105, and the legendary Radiant Pillar BC1! Inspired by their love for exploration! Show your support, and find out more below.
ABOUT YOURSELF
- Who are you?
Hi there! My name is Quinten Greenholt.
- Where are you from?
The rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, USA.
- How old are you?
It is hard to believe, I am now 21 years old and officially an AFOL!
- What do you study or do for a living?
I work as a Systems Analyst for a small tech company. Working in a small company means I get experience with a variety of assignments.
- What hobbies do you have?
Of course, LEGO is a huge hobby for me! I also love to cook. Enjoying new dishes and experimenting with new flavors is exciting. I relish cooking around the holidays because food is a major family event. Currently, I am working with my brother on a project to gather and catalog many family recipes.
- Do you have a personal LEGO portfolio website that you can share with us?
My LEGO portfolio can be found online at thequinten.com. I regularly update the website with new MOCs.
- Have you created any LEGO MOCs (my own creations) that you’re particularly proud of? What is it, why are you proud of it and do you have a photo of it?
Every MOC has its own unique goals, challenges and successes. Each represent important milestones as an artist. I could talk at length about every MOC, they’re like pets!
The 2x3 was a pivotal MOC for me and little did I know when creating it that a huge adventure was around the corner. This MOC is special to me in multiple ways. The 2x3 was my entry into the FIRST LEGO League Trophy design challenge, one of the earliest challenges on LEGO Ideas. I built the 2x3 for fun, it’s what I’d want to receive and hold in my hand. This MOC was really for me, so the 2x3 winning the challenge was completely unexpected! Suddenly, the door flew wide open for me to work with and learnt a tremendous amount from an amazing team. I visited the FIRST LEGO League World Festival, where I not only met the project team, but I also got to know the audience we had been designing the trophy for. This experience allowed me to watch and grow as a LEGO builder. I had never before experienced what a MOC might mean to someone else, so meeting the teams receiving the trophy was very special. On the way home, there was a moment when it hit me – I would never fall into the Dark Ages.
- How and when did your interest in LEGO products come about?
I have been building LEGO for longer than I can remember. I can’t remember my first LEGO set. Even my mom can’t remember my first LEGO set! LEGO has always been a part of my life.
- What is the LEGO hobby to you? What does it mean to you? How does it fit in your life? E.g. build, display, meetups, play the games or 'just' watch the cartoons.
For me, LEGO means building MOCs and communicating with creativity. LEGO is a second language. We connect with one another from all across the globe by telling stories through the brick.
One place I frequently visit to connect with other LEGO fans is DigiLUG, an online LEGO Users Group. It’s a fantastic community who are always happy to test building techniques for one another, discuss LEGO news, share MOCs and more.
- What is your favourite LEGO theme (current or past)? Why? And has any theme inspired your building style or preference in any particular way?
I absolutely love Mars Mission! I was fortunate to grow up with many great LEGO themes such as Atlantis, Agents, Castle, Power Miners, Creator and others, but Mars Mission is my all-time favorite theme to this day. Mars Mission launched at just the right time for my brother and I. We had countless hours of fun playing with those sets.
- What is your favourite official LEGO set ever? Why?
Super hard to choose just one. I have wonderful memories of 7644: MX-81 Hypersonic Operations Aircraft. It’s still built and displayed on shelves in my room, and I take extra care to not take it apart for building new MOCs!
- What is your favourite LEGO element? Why?
Part 4733 (dubbed the “Super Erling” by LEGO Designer Jamie Berard) is a long-time favorite of mine. It’s versatile and enables so much detail in such a small space. I’m always excited whenever an opportunity arises to use the legendary Super Erling.
- Is there a LEGO designer (official LEGO designer or fan designer) who you are inspired by and look up to? Who and why?
In the late 2000’s, there were LEGO Creator Designer videos on the LEGO Creator website. Each LEGO Designer from the Creator team would make a video focusing on certain building techniques or stories. To me, it was like my Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. I totally adored watching these videos growing up, they even inspired me to film a few building videos of my own. Everyone on the LEGO Creator team has been an inspiration. They taught me foundational building skills that I still use daily.
In 2018, I also had the remarkable opportunity to work with the outstanding LEGO Education team and world-class LEGO Designer Lee Magpili on the FIRST LEGO League World Championship Trophy. It was incredible to watch Lee’s workflow and learn how he overcomes challenges. Lee is truly a master builder. I am forever grateful for Lee’s enormous generosity, expertise and patience with 16-year-old me!
- Is there one or more particular LEGO-related websites (not official LEGO websites) that you visit often and/or are inspired by?
Brickset (brickset.com) and TheBrickBlogger (thebrickblogger.com) are my main sources for LEGO news. And of course, I frequently visit Mecabricks (mecabricks.com) to build LEGO digitally.
ABOUT YOUR PROJECT
- Where did your interest in this particular model come from?
One of my LEGO/gaming friends has been following No Man’s Sky since its announcement in 2013. I still remember when he first asked everyone, “Hey guys, have you heard about No Man’s Sky?!” Over the years, he kept us up to date on No Man’s Sky news and everyone anticipated the day we all could play it together. Finally, we all played No Man’s Sky near the close of 2019. We saw stunning vistas, surveyed uncharted frontiers and built little settlements amidst the stars. It came together and created an unforgettable sci-fi adventure.The Radiant Pillar BC1 is the first starship you fly in No Man’s Sky. The Radiant Pillar is like everyone’s first car. It’s fondly regarded by the community; many players keep it in their collection regardless of how many powerful starships come along. It accompanied me on my first voyages into the Euclid Galaxy. Sometime during these expeditions, my mind began wondering how the starship would look if it were built with LEGO bricks, but it wasn’t until the following year or so that the first LEGO prototypes took shape. I knew a LEGO rendition of this iconic starship would resonate well with all No Man’s Sky fans.
- How long was the process of making the project, and what did you have to research as well? What kind of prep, research and design phases did you go through to produce your creation?
With a game like No Man’s Sky – where everything is procedurally generated, and no two planets or starships are the same – it is a little challenging to decide what to build! However, everyone in No Man’s Sky begins with the same starship to repair, so it quickly became apparent that the project should focus on those first steps into the galaxy. Playing No Man’s Sky with my group of LEGO/gaming friends and admiring the beautiful art style is what contributed most to the project’s inspiration and preparation.I dabbled with building different sections of the Radiant Pillar for almost two years before the design phase got into full swing in 2022. This period lasted for about a month and a half before it was time to make prints and start rendering. Authenticity and the feel of No Man’s Sky was hugely important throughout this whole design, so I continually compared the LEGO design to screenshots of the Radiant Pillar that I captured in-game. Certain assemblies also required testing with real LEGO bricks for sturdiness and functionality, such as the retractable landing gear.
Creating custom prints and rendering the project were entire phases too, each with their own challenges. I believe the presentation phase is equally as important as the design phase in any project, whether it be with renders or real-life photography. Imagine you’re telling a story. As the storyteller, it’s up to you to convey the story to the audience in the best way possible.
- What special challenges did you face creating the model? What was the most difficult part to recreate?
The biggest challenge was balancing style with strength while also capturing the essence of No Man’s Sky. The wings were the toughest parts to recreate with this balance in mind. If the wings didn’t work, then the whole project wouldn’t fly. This starship can’t fly without wings! The wings had at least five revisions. Some revisions were too weak while others were the wrong scale. In the end, the effort made it extra satisfying to find that one successful design.This challenge and process reoccurred throughout the whole design. Each challenging part built on the next. If I could conquer one challenge, then that gave me motivation to tackle the next one.
- If you could talk to yourself before you started on this project, what would you tell them? What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
I’d tell myself that this is a marathon. Have a good plan for publicizing and sharing the project from day one.
- How long did it take to complete the model? Did you finish it fairly quickly, or did it take a long time? And how did the build time compare to the time you spent promoting your Product Idea to reach 10,000 supporters?
The model took about a month and a half to build but gaining 10,000 supporters felt like an eternity! The project crossed 5,000 supporters after a little over a year. This was great progress, but the project had a long road ahead. So far, the project relied on very kind people sharing it organically, many loved the starship without ever playing No Man’s Sky. Would the pace continue? How would the project reach more No Man’s Sky fans? Then again, magical things happen in December…
Sean Murray – founder of Hello Games, the team behind No Man’s Sky - shared the No Man’s Sky project with fans across the globe. It was like the Radiant Pillar was inside a snow globe that Sean Murray picked up and started shaking! The support swirled around like a blizzard. Five days later the project hit 10,000! It was so overwhelming that I could hardly do anything productive over those few days, even making my own breakfast. (Don’t worry, I didn’t miss any meals!)
- How did it feel when you reached the magic 10,000 votes and how long did it take?
Completely out of this world! When the flood of support began, we thought 10,000 could be achievable by Christmas. After a day we knew it would be done before Christmas! It was certain to be any day at that point. Time for project updates was rapidly evaporating. The entire family and extended family found themselves reloading the page again and again, watching as the number eased closer. And finally, it came: 10,000! Have you ever had your to-do list explode like fireworks and glimmer away? It’s quite bizarre, and not a behavior usually seen in to-do lists! All the plans for promoting LEGO No Man’s Sky in 2024 were no longer needed. I found myself continually reloading the project page and wondering if it were a dream!
- Approximately how many LEGO bricks did you use to create your model?
The entire design consists of approximately 982 LEGO bricks.
Here’s the breakdown:
Radiant Pillar BC1: 620 bricks
Landscape: 332 bricks
Sentinel: 17 bricks
Traveller: 12 bricks and one multitool
- What is your favourite building technique or part/section that you’ve incorporated into your Product Idea?
Great question! I’m most satisfied with the leading edge of the Radiant Pillar’s wings. It looks very similar to the real Radiant Pillar, and for me there’s almost nothing more exciting than replicating a shape that closely with LEGO bricks. The building technique that makes me laugh the most is found in the winglets – they are held together with hot dogs! I was skeptical about the strength of such a technique, but I tested it in real-life and it works surprisingly well. My family jokes that should you crash your LEGO starship, you’ll always have emergency hot dogs to eat!
- If you built your model digitally, what software did you use to build and render your model?
I used Bricklink’s Studio to begin designing and sketching the model. Once the model was close to completion, I moved the model into Mecabricks for the finishing touches. Finally, I imported the model into Blender for rendering and animation. This project would not have been possible without these tools!
- If you used custom stickers or prints for your design, how did you create them or where did you get them?
I used Affinity Designer in combination with Mecabricks to design all the prints for the Radiant Pillar starship and the Traveller minifigure. This was my first major project that required lots of prints. At first it appeared a little daunting, but it ended up being one of the most enjoyable design stages for the project.I began by taking screenshots within No Man’s Sky to identify the key characteristics that make each object so recognizable. A good print doesn’t always include every detail, sometimes you may need to omit unnecessary details to make a print instantly recognizable. I also studied how official LEGO prints looked and tried to incorporate that art style into the prints. LEGO prints and stickers are a great way to learn!
ABOUT LEGO IDEAS
- Do you have any useful advice about creating a successful LEGO Ideas project?
Build what you love.
- What (if any) methods did you use to advertise and attract support to your Product Idea?
I created an animated video featuring the No Man’s Sky project shortly after its launch on LEGO Ideas. This animation promoted the project by a fair amount, but most of the support owes thanks to a handful of very kind people who shared the project, without whom we never would have achieved even the halfway goal. I still watch the animation from time to time, it makes me smile!
- What is it about the platform that attracts you? What tips would you give to anyone who is thinking about uploading an idea?
I remember watching JKBrickworks’ “Labyrinth Marble Maze” project climb to 10,000 supporters ten years ago and thinking, “This is so cool, I want to do this someday!” Of course, I was too young to submit Product Ideas back then! Ultimately, I’m not certain what attracts me to the platform. It’s a combination of all the challenges, creativity, inspiration, and the community. There is just something about LEGO Ideas that keeps bringing me back.For those who are thinking about uploading an idea, find someone you trust to give you honest feedback.
- Do you have plans to submit any other Product Ideas in the future? If yes, can you give us a hint what that might be?
I absolutely would like to submit more Product Ideas! There are always ideas sizzling on the backburners. Knowing when an idea is ready to take on a life of its own is the key. Good ideas need time to cook!
By
LEGO Sunita