Project Sauron

[MortimerV]

I'm having a really hard time here. LAM (Lord And Master) doesn't know how to take "No" for an answer. Trust me.

One word: Larry. Long story. www.twitter.com/projectsauron

Here's the problem. I can't make Roof by Face for this Mass. But walls work just fine. But I need to use a Roof so I can attach walls to the top and bottom. Anyway - I'll use walls in the meantime. But manual profile editing for each wall will not go over well.

The other minions are getting restless and I was the one that insisted we use Revit on this project. Bottom Line: We must be done 6 months (well before the next UN Summit), cause it'll take at least that long for the particle separators to get delivered from eBay and assembled and tested - probably on a few Somalia pirate ships (or a Poseidon class sub if it happens to get too close).

Suggestions welcome.

Thanks -

Mort

[MortimerV]

Here's the overall Mass. Pretty complex. The inner core is hollow and full of evil goodness.

Roofs can associate to *some* of the faces on the top of the mass - but not the underside or structural legs. On the other hand, walls attach by face really well - but don't allow other walls to attach top/bottom.

What would be really helpful? Being able to select a host (wall, roof, floor, etc.) and change the category. Sometimes what we think is a wall is really a roof, or what starts as a floor should really be a ceiling.

Overall the project is going really well. We tried out a few "signature" designers but they were really high maintenance and just kept scribbling on paper and then insisted the minions would somehow interpret the scrawl of lines into a cool design. And they demanding suitcases of money.

So LAM (Lord and Master) proceeded to design it himself. He's a nice guy when he's not firing signature architects...out of cannons.

[rosskirby]

Is the composition of the "roof" you're trying to make the same as the composition of the "wall" that you were able to make?

[MortimerV]

Yes. Same composition. But you notice with Masses that walls are able to adhere to any face that is not completely horizontal. Try to apply a roof to the underside of a mass.

Roof by Face would not work with the underside of the mass - or any part of the structural arms. But there were some situations where the roof did not work even on the upper sections of the mass.

So rather use wall by face for some situations and roofs for others I just used walls for the entire skin.

Anyway - need to go. We're practicing for the 11th Annual Minion Musical. LAM does not tolerate tardiness.

Mort

[MortimerV]

One other thing. We can't decide if the balusters should have the pointy bits facing up or down. LAM likes them facing down because "they look like some kinda claw". But we minions think they should point up: lots of opportunities to impale any unwanted intruders found snooping around.

And there's nothing that motivates a room full of newbie minions more than finding one of their own impaled in the employee break room. Suffice to say the rest of the the new recruits don't have to be asked to stop checking their Facebook pages while on the clock.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Some of the core and atrium space is working out to the satisfaction of all the henchman. Lord and Master really likes the overall form because in his words, "No distracting meetings and arguments about corner offices...because there aren't any! Muuuuaaahhahahahahha!"

He's got a point. Long meetings suck the life out of you faster than decompressed airlock. Never stand next to the airlock door. Just sayin.

-Mort

[cdatechguy]

If you have a mass for the roof...and you can create a grid on the mass....then you can use adaptive components to create your roof....

Take a look at this class from AU last year... Think this is what your wanting to do...
http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=class&session_id=6877

[MortimerV]

Yeah - tried that. All the faceting made made the evil lair resemble a deformed golf ball. Guess how much a golf ball is scary? None. They look playful and roll around in your hand and you hit them with stick and they get lost.

The only time a golf ball is scary is when one happens to shoot out from the angry end of a lawnmower.

A nice smooth cannon ball (on the other hand) is solid gold business. Of course we prefer uranium tipped, magnetically fired missiles. But a building shaped like one of those creates significant circulation issues.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Final results of lighting studies. Kinda marine like. Kinda armor like. Kinda fang like. Kinda eye like. Anyway, LAM likes it.
The other thing is that it's face-based, so it's not limited to walls, floors, etc.
I'll do a rendering study and post the results in a bit.
-Mort

[MortimerV]

One hour later.

Time for a beer and beach volleyball. Minions vs. Henchmen.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

We need to model the caverns below the lair. It's a pretty large space - like a couple of stories tall and a few hundred feet deep. It tapers (below the lair) but then opens up into a pretty large area.

Lots of equipment planning, some energy generation (via geothermal transfer). We also need to design a dock / loading area that leads from the cavern through a cave opening. We'll need plenty of space to park subsurface and surface craft (ships and subs).

And there's some really big stalactites hanging from the roof of the cavern. We don't want to damage them. If one of them comes lose it makes a real mess. So we need to model them and so we can design around them.

We've got the topography modeled. Any suggestions for carving out the cavern complex from the topography?

Thanks -

-Mort

[Exar Kun]

Won't your boss be angry that you're sharing the insides of his lair on the internet - free for all the governments of the world to see? I hate to image the kind of punishment that could incur.

[MortimerV]

It's not enough to know what something is. You also have to know where it is and when it is. >:

Anyway - figured out the caverns using site tools. Nice mock up of sub in the distance.

Next problem: we're in the middle of designing a monorail system that goes from the fortress in two directions 1) down to the lagoon and 2) to the launch pad. It's about a 200metre drop from the fortress to sea level. So a pretty steep fall down to the beach area.

Basically the Lord and Master uses fishing to help him relax. We're also planning to train the sharks in the lagoon. Anyway - it's a really steep walk, so the monorail will come in handy.

Ideas?

-Mort

[patricks]

Lagoon? Launch pad? Sharks? I can't be of much help there but man this thread sure is interesting to say the least. :lol:

[MortimerV]

Well - sharks or robot sharks. Henchmen haven''t decided yet. Real sharks are cheaper, but a PITA to train. Robot sharks are really cool. Fully articulated with solid titanium teeth and skin. Very, very fast. One word: supercavitation.

Getting a bit desperate on the monorail track thing. I really don't want to put this together piece by piece because it'll make design changes will be a really difficult. One end of the track needs to go up the hill. The other end points down to the lagoon.

Attached sketch should give an idea of what we need.

Also - structural supports need to occur every 20meters or so. Suggestions welcome.

Cheers -

- Mort

[MortimerV]

You'd be surprised what you'll come up with when stressed for a solution. This morning, Lord and Master informed us all that he would drop our Tivo down a thermal vent unless we figured the monorail design problem out by end of day. Did I mention that said Tivo contained the Oprah's farewell episode?

It's a hack, but a simple one. And design changes are straightforward. We're going to use the same process to build a 20meter electrified fence that follows the topography. You'd be surprised how high a ****** off t-rex can jump.

Never eat lunch in front of a hungry t-rex. Not unless you want to find out how high they can jump. Just sayin.

-Mort

[patricks]

Please share your methods, I'd love be able to have 3D fences that follow my site topography.

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

Ok, Your Boss is either Dr Evil creating his new Island Lair,
or your boss is Benjamin Linus from New Otherton and is planning the next Dharma Station "The LARPer".

Very interesting post.

[MortimerV]

Hi All -

Thanks the comments. I find it interesting that you all don't seem to think this is a real project. I hope you're sitting down.

Still tweaking the cave entrance and existing conditions. Important thing is we need to make sure "stuff" fits. You'd be surprised what you can buy from ousted despot that needs to quickly liquidate assets.

The bluish box at the right side of the interior view is the preliminary structure for the lift system.

At first we were all excited about having our own sub. But then we found out it hadn't been used in a few years. Needless to say it needs quite an airing out. Smells like the cross between a teenager's bedroom and NYC subway.

But still - it looks cool sitting in the "driveway".

-Mort

[patricks]

For sure, wouldn't want to break off any stalactites during mooring and station keeping maneuvers. :mrgreen:

[sbrown]

You are totally making this project up as you go aren't you???? Its very fun.

[MortimerV]

Dearest Mr. Brown,

It seems that you (and possibly others) are under at least two false impressions:

1) This is a fictional project
2) No one would be foolish enough to actually build this kind of offensive weapon.

1) I assure you this is not a make up project. It will be real, and necessary in the very near future as you and others will come to understand.
2) Creating an offensive weapon implies that our aim is to attack. In reality, our aim is to defend.

Why would we be prepared to spend extraordinary resources to defend something from attack? Because what we're creating is worth more than the cost of creating it's defense.

We're not building a building. We're building something else. Something very valuable. Something which must be defended. Something extraordinary.

Sincerely yours,

-Mort

[tomnewsom]

:D Excellent thread

[SCShell]

Hey there,
Fun thread and very impressive!
Thank you for sharing.
Steve

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

Non-reality is often contrasted with what is actual, non-delusional, not in the mind, not a dream, what is not abstract, what is true, or what is nonfictional. False refers to what is not real, while truth refers to what is real. Nonfiction is considered real....Really! :)

However, I am working on a similar project in the opposing hemisphere with 70 of my cousins, each one smarter than the next. We have a Blimp/Zeppelin lair not a submarine lair. And we do not have a monorail, it's a tri-rail and it is suspended by a sophisticated air sails powered by Twizzler juice and powdered hamburgers. Our boss SGD (Super Good Dude) is pushing to get this project done before the other Island project is complete. Our Blimp Army will prevail.

Our Lair is # 1 all other Lairs are #2 or lower.

[MortimerV]

Alright fine then. Due to Mr. Baldwin's mocking transgression the secret of the super secret fence that follows topography shall not be disclosed. Good luck keeping out our genetically modified t-rex.

-Mort

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

We have brain-control modules for all types of modified t-rexs, so that is no problem. We also have the "not so super secret fence" designed by Cousin 53.

We are alarmed that Mr. Mort now doubts our Blimp Lair, our lair is so top secret we do not share the plans as Mr. Mort has mistakenly shared his.

End Transmission~

[MortimerV]

Does your lair have super-fast elevators, evil looking stairs and lots and lots of lighting?

Does it have Tivo, doppelgangers and espresso makers?

Does it have pinball machines? Hah! They are too heavy for your airship. Our lair has all of this and more!

Alas - your airship is full of little more than hot air!!!

-Mort

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

No need for super-fast elevators or stairs when you have Matter-Transporters.

We have spliced together the DNA of John Madden and Chef Ramsey and cloned them, so who needs Tivo and Pinball (mere child's play).

We also have a Tiki Bar with Tiki Barber bartending (watch how many times he'll fumble your drink). :D

And we simply cannot be outdone because of the aforementioned; our Lair is # 1 all other Lairs are #2 or lower.

[MortimerV]

You have a Tiki Bar with Tiki Barber! Ha! Your Tiki Bar is but a pale, shallow reflection of our Tiki Bar. Keep your Tiki Barber supplied Tiki Bar.

We have the Doctor Tiki.

We have Johnny Johnny.

And we have the one secret weapon every other Tiki Bar is without:

Lala.

http://www.tikibartv.com/?page_id=177

[patricks]

methinks this would be more at home in the Out There forum :lol:

[MortimerV]

Back on topic then. I'm reconsidering suspending the walkways rather than support them in compression. Can anyone suggest a good rule of thumb that compares sizing for compression vs. diameter for tension?

-Mort

[cliff collins]

Rule of thumb:

Consult with Structural Engineer when sizing any structural members, esp. ones holding up suspension walkways---Hyatt Regency, KC, MO ring any bells?

cheers

[MortimerV]

Cliff -

Research indicates the walkways failed due to improperly installed connections - not improperly sized structural members. Lord and Master says the connections sheared off and were not installed in tension.

Please confirm.

Yours truly -

-Mort

[cliff collins]

Common sense says no matter what exactly happened at KC, consult your friendly Struct. Engineer
when throwing around loose terms like "rule of thumb for compression vs tension member sizes".

( This just in: Research indicates that it was indeed a connection failure; however it was an overloaded suspended walkway which had both tension and compression members which failed due to sympathetic vibrations induced by moving pedestrians similar to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge failure.)

Also you can let the L&M know that it also turns out that my Structural Engineering professor when I was in Architecture School was called in as an expert witness on the case, and gave us a lecture highlighting the exact threaded rod suspension (tension member) connection detail which failed.

cheers

[MortimerV]

Well, common sense (and the chart below) tells me that a braided steel cable can suspend more weight in tension (with a far smaller cross section) than a structural column (with a much greater cross section) can hold up in compression.

And since a 2" cross section of wire rope can safely suspend about 32 tons, I'll use that as a starting point.

Beside's, there still plenty of time for a structural engineer optimize the design as well as roll his eyes and tell us all about the time he had to walk up hill, in both directions, to structures class, in 12' of snow, before electricity, before fire, before sex, without shoes, and right after that really cute girl from the Architecture department dumped him for an unkempt and smelly English major.

Anyway - we're thinking about replacing the structural system at the center of the lair with tension cables. Cables might save some money (ahem...not that we don't have unlimited resources), but they wouldn't look as monolithic. Lord and Master also likes the way the structural connections double as light fixtures.

-Mort

[gtarch]

Cliff -

Research indicates the walkways failed due to improperly installed connections - not improperly sized structural members. Lord and Master says the connections sheared off and were not installed in tension.

Please confirm.

Yours truly -

-Mort

Actually as I understand it:

The original design used a single continuous hanging threaded tension rod to support the walkways. Apparently, this proved difficult to build & detail. So a design change was made through a shop drawing. The single tension rod was cut and the rods were offset, and each was connected to a beam/channels section, and there was some distance between them. One rod went up, the other rod went down to the walkway section below.

With the two rods being offset that distance, a shearing/rotation sort of force was set up in the beam. And the thing broke right there at that connection, the beam was not strong enough to take the force.

The change was approved in the shop drawing, and no one really checked it from an engineering standpoint, or noticed that it created a new set of loads on the beam.

Perhaps Cliff Collins will confirm my understanding of it.

[MortimerV]

So stick with the compression system and heavy members or go for the suspended system? And we're looking at steel cable - not threaded rod.

Attached quick rendering with some more artificial lighting (and natural light). Only either side of the stair and the landing are being lit - along with the core area. Not too bad - but the heavy columns decrease visibility.

Anyway - need to go - Wednesday night beer and volleyball. Minions won easily last week and henchman are looking for revenge!

- Mort

[gtarch]

Mort:

I think your place looks an awful lot like a movie or video game set...

[patricks]

hey I bet Revit could have its place in movie set design, if it doesn't already. :mrgreen:

[rosskirby]

(ahem...not that we don't have unlimited resources)

-Mort

If you really wanna save money, eliminate all those handrails. I don't believe OSHA has any jurisdiction over private lairs, secret or otherwise. Think of it as a way to thin the herd. When it comes to henchmen and minions, don't you want the best of the best?

[Exar Kun]

hey I bet Revit could have its place in movie set design, if it doesn't already. :mrgreen:

Indeed, after a presentation at a certain recent Revit Technology Conference, I can imagine a certain Revit luminary could tell us a lot about set design in Revit and those movies that it has already been used in...

[cdatechguy]

hey I bet Revit could have its place in movie set design, if it doesn't already. :mrgreen:

I know of Fantastic Four and Watchman... There was a class at AU about it...
http://au.autodesk.com/?nd=class&session_id=5389

[sbrown]

What are all those walkways for? Are the henchmen just marching round and round?

[cdatechguy]

What are all those walkways for? Are the henchmen just marching round and round?

Master probably likes them marching in formation....

[MortimerV]

Couple of project views from today's efforts.

First - sticking with the structural columns rather than tension system of cables. It'll also help with the lift system down into the cavern area (see attached wire frame). So as you can see there's a pretty substantial structural core going down through to the sea bed below.

Second - quick rendering of the sphere (dubbed "SFear" - hey - I just help with the design...I don't make up the names for stuff) without the cladding. Looks kinda cool without all the walls. This view is taken from the beginning of the lower run of the monorail system and looks into the docking area.

Pity we have to skin the structure in 6" thick steel plate. We were hoping to go with 1/2" thick "Unobtanium", but apparently Steve Jobs needs it for his next versions of the iPad and iPhone.

Oh - and we crushed the Henchmen in volleyball. Heh.

-Mort

[Exar Kun]

I know of Fantastic Four and Watchman... There was a class at AU about it...

I Robot was the first one I heard about many years ago.

[Craig_L]

Ok a few things I wanted to comment about.

Firstly - your monorail support system looks a little if-ie. I'd be concerned about the support stability especially as the monorail makes a high G turn around the outside of the mountain causing all the force and torsion at the outside where there is no support. My suggestion would be more direct support underneath the rail and shift it support from peak to peak, of course this opens up panoramic views rather than one side being obstructed by mountain. On the downside it also leaves you open to air based missile attacks from both sides, but I think a couple of well place SAM sites ought to solve that problem for you.

Secondly, your walkway system is entirely possible without columns, if you use some pretty serious reinforced concrete beams I think you'll get that span to work, if you absolutely must go with steel, two chunky splices at 3rd points ought to get you home, a couple of cables wouldnt go astray but you can do without them. I also agree about the point for the handrails at least around the walkways. Think of it this way, if you're having some kind of light based weapon fight on a walkway, you want at least one of the opponents to have the possibility of falling off, preferrably in two pieces, and a handrail will limit you there. Just throwing it out there.

The other concern I have is that you seem to have chosen a nukalar (yes its that way on purpose) submarine, Im thinking should this bad boy go up then you're going to need some kind of shielding especially underneath your structure. Consider maybe parking your sub in a separate sub-terranian leh-yar, I'm thinking some of the new Martin Jet Packs (google it) will get you easily from there to your base, and perhaps a nice open landing pad built off the side for ease of egress/access with the jetpacks. Oh and given the nautical nature of your project you should consider some of these flying jet-ski's known as an Icon-A5 also perfect for minions to fly because they would be easily shot down, thus granting your enemy easy targets rather than shooting at the important people.
http://www.wired.com/cars/futuretransport/magazine/17-01/mf_icon_air

[MortimerV]

Thanks Karalon -

All good comments. The supports for the monorail are about 15 metres apart. It's not a high speed system - and underneath support is tough because the cliffs are really shear. There's no underneath, so we have to cantilever the support. Just a single cab (or maybe one for each direction). Not a lot of weight and not too fast will keep down the g-forces. The obstruction is is intentional - it'll give a great "reveal" of the cove and bay below when it makes the right turn to go down to the shoreline.

Steel has corrosion issues, but easier to prefab and assemble on site. At least we'll be able to get to the rust. Sometimes those tensioned cable concrete systems suddenly fail from unseen weeping and salt water.

Love the idea about the optional handrails. Did some research and there's really no "OSHA" regulations for Evil Lairs. But then it turns out that the Henchman are mostly unionized - so the handrails need to stay put. Seems silly. When these things blow up, the kind of blow up in a way that having handrails really don't make that much of a difference.

The sub is just for sizing. We were going to try to keep it (Lord and Master got a sweet deal) but it suffered months of neglect. It's been weeks and we can't get the smell out. And two or three smaller ones are probably more practical.

Love the jet packs - but their glide ratio is just about zero. And they don't look menacing enough. You know what does look menacing though? Flying monkeys. A sky full of flying monkeys will scare the bejezus out of anyone.

What I could really use some help on is modeling stuff for the lair. We're able to make this ourselves - but there's only so much time. I'm looking all over for content and nothing is available. Even checked Revit City. Nada. This is just a short list of the entourage we need by the next deadline which needs to be created in Revit:


Death Rays / Surface to Air Missiles Battery
Firing Range
Space Plane and Launch Pad
Smaller, Faster Submersables
Thermal Vents and Piping
Arcade / Breakroom / Vending Machines
Samurai Swords
Monorail Cab (with seating for 10-12)
Medical Bay / Equipment
Machine Shop / Tooling / Welding
Professional Kitchen / Equipment
Jetpack / Exoskeleton Prototypes (just for testing purposes - not production)
"Bookcase" Doors
Robotic Sharks (preferably fully articulated) and w/ separate tanks (long story)
Alarm System with Sentry Detection and Autofire
Radar and Microwave Dishes
Gym Equipment and Showers

The list goes on and on (we haven't even touched on the geothermal energy transfer systems). None of this stuff is on the install disc for Revit. We've checked - go figure. Great design tool - but the out of the box content is basically useless for our type of specialty design work.

If anyone has content along these lines please post. If it's really good we might use it. In return we could try to put in a good word for you with the TSA. Turns out the Homeland Security Director in the US is distantly related to our Lord and Master. From what I've gathered it's a strained relationship and they don't really speak. Apparently she's considered evil even by his standards.

-Mort

[cdatechguy]

Need something like this (http://lh6.ggpht.com/_QOMx1ZbFOcI/TN2E4K8YReI/AAAAAAAACBQ/it3kglH5V7Q/image19_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800):

[gtarch]

That's a Russian Submarine. That's a big clue right there.

[cdatechguy]

The view cone can be turned off.....it was added to show field of view issues...

[rosskirby]

Where are you going to house the flying monkeys? I don't know whether their genetic makeup leans more towards avian or simian flu, but I doubt you'd want them living in the same area as the minions/henchmen.

I'd think that a roost on top of one of the rocky outcroppings that the monorail wraps around would suffice. Seeing a swarm of flying monkeys coming out of a hornet's (monkey's?) nest would certainly make someone think twice about making an uninvited appearance.

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

Flying Monkeys...really? sounds familiar, can't put my finger where I heard of flying monkeys before.? Just think of all that Flying Monkey excrement falling from the sky and all over the entire island..Yuk... enjoy Salmonella Island!!!!

I was surprised revitcity didn't have any Flying-Monkey-excrement.rfa's

Maybe next you'll tell us Tiny Pandas on Flying Rocking Horses are menacing.

[MortimerV]

Hi all -

We're making progress on the openings into the lower structural systems. At the moment space plans are locating Minion and Henchmen barracks in each of the legs but it's still being debated due to potential circulation issues (especially if under attack).

Still researching thermal transfer systems. Plenty of energy to run everything and more than enough to spare.

So what's missing? McDonalds. I'd give a kidney for a Big Mac with extra pickles. Not my kidney of course. That new guy over there.

- Mort

[MortimerV]

Another option on the elliptical windows - a bit more nautical.

Now working on stairs down each structural leg.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Sorry for the long silence. Wrapping up some ideas on the stairs.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Suggestions on the right Category for these family components? Entourage? Specialty Equipment? Sometimes the simplest thing is really complicated.

I don't need to schedule individual missiles - just the launching structure.

Thanks -

-Mort

[gtarch]

No Question About It: FURNITURE.

[Craig_L]

A new category required : Arsenal

Good to see some SAM sites going up, suggest at least one ICBM silo also.

[MortimerV]

Might as well fill you all in on latest / greatest. Officially it's a "Photonic Displacement Generator". But around here we call it, "Eye of Sauron".

It was one of the first installations to get powered on. Essentially it creates a force field that scatters light and energy over it's spherical surface before it exits at the polar opposite side. Only very specific frequencies are allowed through and they're randomized. Basically it means you can't hear or see us - but we get great cell phone and internet service. And if two sphere's of the same frequency meet it's like soap bubbles. So any of our stuff enters and exits at full speed (aircraft, sea craft, missiles, etc).

From inside the sphere everything looks and seems normal. But from the outside, you see - well - nothing. It's like we're not here.

Pretty much anything (organic and inorganic) can pass through at a very mild pace. Think of water: pass through slowly - no problem. But try to enter too quickly and it's like hitting a sidewalk. Well, not literally - more like a sidewalk made of wet cement.

Basically - it's gonna leave a mark.

Oh - and don't stand in the dish / bowl area when it's powered on: think giant bug zapper. There's really nothing left except the smell - sort of a cross between baked chicken and burnt marshmallows.

-Mort

[patricks]

Interesting 24th century Star Trek technology there. Nice modeling but boy you have a lot of time on your hands. ;)

[DaveP]

From inside the sphere everything looks and seems normal. But from the outside, you see - well - nothing. It's like we're not here.


So, that fourth rendering is with the Eye turned on?

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

On a serious note; you may want to change your name and image on your website http://about.me/projectsauron , unless you have written permission from the LOTR folks. Seems you may be are using copyrighted images and names. Just thought I'd mention it if you didn't think of it, don't want you to get fined or anything.

[patricks]

On a serious note; you may want to change your name and image on your website http://about.me/projectsauron , unless you have written permission from the LOTR folks. Seems you may be are using copyrighted images and names. Just thought I'd mention it if you didn't think of it, don't want you to get fined or anything.

But it's an evil lair, they don't follow rules or laws. :p

Oh and LOTR folks = New Line Cinema.

[MortimerV]

On a serious note; you may want to change your name and image on your website http://about.me/projectsauron , unless you have written permission from the LOTR folks. Seems you may be are using copyrighted images and names.

Yeah. We thought of that. Turns out we're behind a long list of people that use the name "Sauron":


http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/sauron/
http://sauron.jyu.fi/
http://marvel.com/universe/Sauron
http://www.myspace.com/sauron666
http://kunochan.com/sauron/
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/11-029.html

So what next? Each of the weapon bays shown at the top of our fusion-powered, titanium-skinned submersible are presently targeting everyone else in the world that uses the name "Sauron" (including the estate of JRR Tolkien). Our Lord and Master is from a long line of Sauron's. As a matter of fact, his grandmother told him as a child that Tolkien was a dope smoking hack!! "Pipeweed?" Whatever...

Originally we were just going to test the weapons on some ****** city like Detroit or Hoboken. But this other test seems intriguing. And if someone happens to accidentally rest their morning coffee cup on the "New Jersey" button...well dang.

-Mort

[renogreen]

This is great stuff. I'm getting lots of neat ideas for my upcoming back patio project.

:)

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

Yeah. We thought of that. Turns out we're behind a long list of people that use the name "Sauron":


http://www.strw.leidenuniv.nl/sauron/
http://sauron.jyu.fi/
http://marvel.com/universe/Sauron
http://www.myspace.com/sauron666
http://kunochan.com/sauron/
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/11-029.html



-Mort

Out of all those websites, only 1 uses the images from the LOTR movies and it appears to someone's blog and they could very well be using the material illegally. Just because many others use copyrighted material legally or illegally, does not mean you can use them illegally. But if you actually got permission from New Line Cinema, then all is well.

I know you have an Evil Lair, but I'd hate to see the Other Evil Empire (The Lawyers) take you down when you're trying to test your 3D modeled weapons on Detroit...

http://www.copyright.gov/

[cdatechguy]

It's always the lawyers that are able to bring down the bad guys in the end....

[MortimerV]

No worries. One of the Henchman changed the project avatar to something known as "The Eye of God"...so that's an improvement.

In other news, Lord and Master wonders if Baldwin_4-6-0's animated GIF is, "meant to be communicating something so obviously Freudian". I'm not sure what he means - but then again I barely graduated from Minion Polytech.

And finally - great news! We have a new sub in the lair! It's a bit wider, so we're planning for more dredging than before. The old sub was really great except for the fact that it smelled worse than wet dog. The new one is a bit shorter (only 100metres long) but very quick and dead quiet - and smells like new car.

-Mort

[cdatechguy]

I think the sub berth needs to be a bit wider....your master may not be happy if a minion scratches the sub while docking...

[DaveP]

Are you aware of the "Johnny 5" from Short Circuit on Revit City?
http://www.revitcity.com/downloads.php?action=view&object_id=3962
I think there's a Bender out there somewhere, too.
Unless, of course, the Lord and Master has a problem with autonomous, self aware robots.

[patricks]

Are you aware of the "Johnny 5" from Short Circuit on Revit City?
http://www.revitcity.com/downloads.php?action=view&object_id=3962
I think there's a Bender out there somewhere, too.
Unless, of course, the Lord and Master has a problem with autonomous, self aware robots.

Holy smokes that is AWESOME! I love the J5 movies!

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

In other news, Lord and Master wonders if Baldwin_4-6-0's animated GIF is, "meant to be communicating something so obviously Freudian". I'm not sure what he means - but then again I barely graduated from Minion Polytech.

-Mort

...now I get the fascination you have with submarines...ewwww!

[MortimerV]

You know what's frustrating? Working tirelessly for nearly two weeks on a series of AMAZING material schemes that are only to have Lord and Master become obsessed with "Dark Gun Metal Grey".

So it's off to get a new after coat of military/flat/matte/boring. Guh.

One saving grace is the installation of the lights along the sides, top and bottom. You should see it with just the lights turned on that are below the waterline. Turning off all the other lights in the cavern makes the dock area glow in anticipation.

Oh yeah - and after the painting is complete we're hoping to have Nora Jones come out for a private concert and christening.

-Mort

[ddenton]

Mort:

I think your place looks an awful lot like a movie or video game set...

I was thinking "Incredibles II"

[patricks]

You know what's frustrating? Working tirelessly for nearly two weeks on a series of AMAZING material schemes that are only to have Lord and Master become obsessed with "Dark Gun Metal Grey".

So it's off to get a new after coat of military/flat/matte/boring. Guh.

One saving grace is the installation of the lights along the sides, top and bottom. You should see it with just the lights turned on that are below the waterline. Turning off all the other lights in the cavern makes the dock area glow in anticipation.

Oh yeah - and after the painting is complete we're hoping to have Nora Jones come out for a private concert and christening.

-Mort

k well now you're just showing off :p


I was thinking "Incredibles II"

oohhhh maybe that's what this is!!! Or perhaps... "minions"... Despicable Me sequel?

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iIwPWzFAQQk/TL_cRyp4D4I/AAAAAAAAACQ/sWE7VWZet1Y/s1600/minions-messing-with-water-dispenser-despicable-me-13770739-616-315.jpg

[cdatechguy]

Hmmm.....might have something there....look at the walkways in the picture...looks familiar..

[patricks]

Hmmm.....might have something there....look at the walkways in the picture...looks familiar..

It's in development for a Summer 2013 release:

http://www.slashfilm.com/despicable-me-sequel-in-development/

I thought the first one was a great film. Would be cool if they did use Revit to develop all the environments.

[MortimerV]

So much for modern communications. Apparently "old-school modern" (none of that post-modern ****) is all the rage in "Evil Lair Monthly". I seriously doubt we'll ever use it - but it works. And it does look kinda cool when you light up some low-lying clouds on a moonless night.
-Mort
PS. We still get issues LAM approved iPhones. We once had a couple of iPads for testing but they were sent back after Henchman kept playing "Angry Birds" during working hours.

[patricks]

Light symbol looks like a weird version of a Star Wars TIE fighter :p

[MortimerV]

New minion arrived late last week. Young guy. We asked him to design some manual and automated sentry systems; something "subtle". I was thinking along the lines of a silent alarm / alert. Maybe infra-red or motion sensing (with intelligent filters for moving foliage and small animals)? I just need a notification system in the event of a perimeter or security breach.

I've attached the results of his first effort.

So either I need to be more clear in my instructions or these BIM savvy minion grads are really eager to please.

-Mort

[cdatechguy]

Looks a lot like the sentry guns from TF2...

[MortimerV]

New guy did a first pass at the MonoPods. Seat 10-12. 9 pods total. Even added parameters to show the door open and closed. Nice. Images attached through building section and at sea level. Still working on the station and platforms. Object to upper right of sea level view is EOS (Eye of Sauron) light.

Oh - BTW - mentioned the other night that I thought EOS was stupid and old school. Well, it turns out that if you activate laser mode, it will burn a metre wide hole through 6" steel in about 15 seconds. Effective range is just over 20 miles (line of sight).

So basically - don't look at it or point it at your crotch.

-Mort

[cdatechguy]

don't look at it or point it at your crotch.
-Mort
Speaking from experience?

[MortimerV]

Part information kiosk. Part lectern. Part alter. Listen. Learn. Lament.

New guy needs to locate quite a few of these around the island for way finding. They're great if you happen to end up here and want to take a look around. You really don't want to stumble around accidentally.

Here's the prototype.

-Mort

[Craig_L]

Are you indicating that this structure is going to suffer greatly from Flagellants?

I'm thinking

W.a.L.T. Device
Waypoint
and
Lamentation
Teleprompter

..Device..

or..

J.C.N. (pronounced Jason) (which is also H.A.L. version 3, or I.B.M. 2.0 take your pick)
Juxtapositional
Corellation
Nanode

[MortimerV]

Second team finishing a first pass at the launch area. Lot's more detail to follow. And we still need to figure out both of the Monopod stations.

Suborbital VTOL craft very fast. New York to New Zealand and back in 4 hours. LAM loves New Zealand for the lamp chops and loves New York for the bagels w/ cream cheese.

The solid rocket fuel source is processed from the native kelp that grows like weeds around here. A liquid derivative powers the sub. So our carbon footprint is smaller than a push lawnmower running a few hours a week.

Speaking of the sub, that team has been working on structure and scaffolding over the dock area. Will try to post images later tonight. Looks very cool

Minions vs. Henchman volleyball in 15 minutes. Minions rule!

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Running late and had way too much to drink. Henchman lost (again) but no doubt they'll make it up at the office tomorrow.

Progress images of dock area around submersible. Much better sense of scale with the railings and stairs.

Enjoy -

Mort

[cdatechguy]

One of our engineers is wondering....are all the stairs and platforms for the henchman to view the sub or is access to the sub still in the works?

[ccuddy163598]

In regards to the dock area around submersible, I notice the dock area is completely enclosed by railings.. Is it strictly a viewing platform? Is this where minions and henchmen get together to send off LAM?

[MortimerV]

All the railings shown for context at dock level. We haven''t resolved exactly where walkway will access the rear and sides. More access and loading will occur from above as well.

Updated images from team working on launch structure. Threaded cylinders support and help retract the structure holding up the platforms and landings (structure not shown). Upper platforms scissor open / closed allowing structure to retract.

Getting lots done since LAM away to see last shuttle launch.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Screws were too inefficient and unnecessary for controlled motion. Update attached. Teams still working on secondary structure.

-Mort

[ccuddy163598]

Have you considered using a tank tread mechanism to support and help retract the structure holding up the platforms and landings? There is something particularly menacing about the look of tank treads. Also, it would remove the necessity to have rails to guide the support structure. Just a thought.

[patricks]

hey I was at the last shuttle launch last Friday.

Funny how all the railings appear to be built to ADA requirements. :p Equal opportunity villain eh?

[cdatechguy]

The railings wouldn't meet code....you can pass a 4" sphere through them... or a henchman for that matter....

[patricks]

The railings wouldn't meet code....you can pass a 4" sphere through them... or a henchman for that matter....

That's only for areas open to the public. Other railings in areas not open to the public can have no more than a 21" sphere pass through - such as railings on loading docks, industrial and shipping areas, etc. which means a middle rail and a top rail will do it.

I was referring more to the railings continuing to slope down for 1 tread depth after the bottom riser, then running flat for another 12 inches.

[sbrown]

Near the water you don't need anything, ie boat docks. Otherwise all coastlines would be required to have guardrails:)

[cdatechguy]

We get stuck using the 4" rule even on loading docks :(

But yeah, understand the public vs private....the 4" sphere is so a kid can't get through and fall...our building will never have kids! if someone wants to jump over they can...stupid rules.

[gtarch]

We had a recent conversation about public private recently, connected to a parking garage.

Seems there is no definition of public or private in the code (ICC) anywhere...

[patricks]

We had a recent conversation about public private recently, connected to a parking garage.

Seems there is no definition of public or private in the code (ICC) anywhere...

1013.3 Exceptions 2 and 3 in the 2006 and 2009 IBC. :)

But still I thought it interesting considering that an "evil lair" wouldn't need or want to comply with any sort of governmental standards and limitations, I wouldn't think lol. I never did see much of or any hand rails on the Imperial Death Star or any of those other places.

[cdatechguy]

Patrick....I am your father....

Hey look guardrails...

[patricks]

Well yeah those, but those definitely don't meet code! :p

I was thinking of some other scenes where there was a dropoff with no railings. Can't put my finger on it at the moment.

And besides, that first image is Cloud City, not the Death Star. Yes I'm a Star Wars and Star Trek nerd lol.

[cdatechguy]

Look at my edit.....I realized it right after I posted...

[MortimerV]

All good questions -

In practical terms - we could care less about the ICC and I've attached some examples of pretty mission critical environments that lacked railings.

That being said there's been a lot of union activity in this area over the last 30 years or so. Bottom line is that some railings are good but too many railings give minions a false sense of security. For example, working near a thermal vent with no guardrail really keeps you on your toes (and kind of reinforces the some sentiments behind the "Darwin Awards").

We've found that typical employee churn is 10% (even in Evil Lairs) and then you have to pay unemployment/COBRA to the minions that don't work out. We've found that you don't have to pay unemployment when someone falls down a thermal vent or forgets to cut the power to the robo-sharks before going for a swim.

Attrition through natural selection. And the HR burden is reduced.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Sorry so quiet. Been in design mode lock down since last week. All teams are dug in figuring out the monopod stations. Images from the team showing the most promise are attached.

-Mort

[gtarch]

This is hands down the best thread EVER.

Its a total thrill to see the latest, Dark Lord Mort.

[david_peterson]

Sorry so quiet. Been in design mode lock down since last week. All teams are dug in figuring out the monopod stations. Images from the team showing the most promise are attached.

-Mort
My only question is what holds up the canopies? To thin to stand on it's own. Must be some new futuristic floating material.

[jsteinhauer]

My only question is what holds up the canopies? To thin to stand on it's own. Must be some new futuristic floating material.

Dave,

Its totally that new lighter then air materials I keep trying to get you guys to use for our structures. If the build dead load is balanced, then we would only need to worry about uplift. Think about the cost savings in the footings alone. That would typically be like 0.7-0.95% of our buildings total project costs?

MortimerV,

I am concerned that there is no elevator on the platform or stops on the monorail. Shouldn't there be a switchover somewhere so car one can get past cars two & three? Where is the monorail car maintenance facility? Surely this base is going to be in existence long enough to need some sort of maintenance on the cars. Otherwise, your overlord master is just throwing money away. Oh, the elevator is to bring supplies to & from the cars. I hope they are able to carry a keg or two. If I where a minion, and didn't have access to beer, I'd riot.

Best of luck on world domination.

Jeff S.

[david_peterson]

I am concerned that there is no elevator on the platform or stops on the monorail. Shouldn't there be a switchover somewhere so car one can get past cars two & three? Where is the monorail car maintenance facility? Surely this base is going to be in existence long enough to need some sort of maintenance on the cars. Otherwise, your overlord master is just throwing money away. Oh, the elevator is to bring supplies to & from the cars. I hope they are able to carry a keg or two. If I where a minion, and didn't have access to beer, I'd riot.

Best of luck on world domination.

Jeff S.
No stoop needed the door to the pod doubles as a ramp.
If you need the elevator to make it up and down, you're no good to the evil doers, plus as you should know, there's got to be a transporter station there somewhere. Oh wait that's star trek, not wars.
During the building of the pyramids, the Pharo's set up one of the largest breweries in the world (larger than many current breweries) in order to brew enough beer to pay the workers.

[jsteinhauer]

The stop is to keep the cars from flying off the end of the monorail. The elevator was for materials not personnel. I totally agree that if LAM had staff not able to climb stairs, they would be the first to be feed to the "sharks with freaking lasers on their heads". Other thing I totally forgot to mention is, why does the intermediate stair landing need to extend beyond that Architecturally Exposed Structural member? That's totally waste of money & a place where crud/stuff is going to accumulate. Then it's going to sit there forever, and make the place look like a total mess. If I were another LAM, I would look down upon a mess base of a counterpart.

Cheers for beers,
Jeff S.

[patricks]

haha speaking of transporters, I saw at the Star Trek exhibit at Kennedy Space Center last week a little blurb about ST's transporter technology, and what it would take to make it actually happen. Basically it would take more energy, more computing power, and more storage capacity than anything in the known universe. Something about the required temperature to deconstruct molecules is so many times the sun's surface temperature or something like that.

So yeah, that ain't happening. :p

[jsteinhauer]

haha speaking of transporters, I saw at the Star Trek exhibit at Kennedy Space Center last week a little blurb about ST's transporter technology, and what it would take to make it actually happen. Basically it would take more energy, more computing power, and more storage capacity than anything in the known universe. Something about the required temperature to deconstruct molecules is so many times the sun's surface temperature or something like that.

So yeah, that ain't happening. :p

Way to kill a dream Patrick. Try putting some positive energy out into the universe for once :p.

[MortimerV]

Poor Patrick -

If only he knew the truth. The real problem is that even with all this technology, people still manage to show up five minutes late for work and complain: "Transporters are fast - but if only we had a few time machines...".

Here's another good place to start: 10 Impossibilities Conquered by Science (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13556-10-impossibilities-conquered-by-science.html?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=specrt15_p)

Once in a while after we finish a really big project, we'll go down to the cellar and grab a few cases of single malt scotch. After when we're all nice and toasted, LAM pulls out this article and reads aloud while we all roll around laughing are arses off.

The challenge isn't technology. It's imagination.

Anyway, monopod stations going in place.

-Mort

[jsteinhauer]

Hey Mort,

I think LAM is going to be pretty peeved the first time a big wind comes along and blows over your launch vehicle prep tower. Or are the minions going to run out there an hold it down when the wind start a blowing? You may want to follow the though that wider is better. With those large clamping arms fully extended, I fear it will tip over when House of Pain comes on the boom box, will the minions are working on the rocket.

Jump up, Jump up
and fall down...

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[patricks]

This is a word with a long and rather dubious history. It was coined by the paranormalist writer Charles Fort in his book Lo! and was subsequently seized on by legions of science fiction writers; most famously as the "transporter" in Star Trek.

Despite its fantastical origins, physicists have achieved a kind of teleportation thanks to a bizarre quantum phenomenon called entanglement. Particles that are entangled behave as if they are linked together no matter how wide the distance between them. If, for example, you change the "spin" of one entangled electron, the spin of its twin will change as well.

Entangled particles can therefore be used to "teleport" information. Performing the trick with anything larger than an atom was once thought impossible, but in 2002 a theoretical way to entangle even large molecules, providing they can be split into a quantum state known as superposition, was described.

More recently, an alternative idea, dubbed "classical teleportation"Movie Camera, was proposed for making a beam of rubidium atoms effectively disappear in one place and reappear elsewhere. This method would not rely on entanglement, but transmitting all the information about these atoms through a fibre optic cable so that they can be "reconstructed" somewhere else.

While that's all well and good on the atomic level, it has been estimated that the amount of bits required to completely describe a human being at the quantum level is around 2*10^45 power. 1 TB of data is about 10^13 bits. So you would basically need 1 billion billion billion terabytes to completely describe a human being at the quantum level.

[david_peterson]

While that's all well and good on the atomic level, it has been estimated that the amount of bits required to completely describe a human being at the quantum level is around 2*10^45 power. 1 TB of data is about 10^13 bits. So you would basically need 1 billion billion billion terabytes to completely describe a human being at the quantum level.
So what's the big deal? I'm sure your workstation could run that model. It does Revit doesn't it?

[eviele]

While that's all well and good on the atomic level, it has been estimated that the amount of bits required to completely describe a human being at the quantum level is around 2*10^45 power. 1 TB of data is about 10^13 bits. So you would basically need 1 billion billion billion terabytes to completely describe a human being at the quantum level.

There's an app for that...

[david_peterson]

There's an app for that...
I'm guessing they have that app for sale at one of these apple stores (http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Entire-Apple-stores-being-apf-403861469.html?x=0&.v=10)

[patricks]

bwaahahahah just saw the fake Apple stores on modmyi.com today.

Better watch out, they might just build a fake Sauron evil lair :lol:

[MortimerV]

Second round of Transporter Kiosk tests completely successful.

http://www.youtube.com/ProjectSauron

As many of you have persisted in contacting me regarding ongoing developments, I am to report that if we require additional information your team will be selectively contacted.

-Mort

[sbrown]

Nice video. What software did you put the sequencing together in?

[MortimerV]

Hello Mr. Brown -

Lord and Master attempted to contact you with more information. But when your company's website (http://www.hhcp.com/) hijacked his browser window and automatically re-sized it, LaM became enraged.

LaM now insists we will never allow you to visit our secret Evil Island Lair (TM) or get to steer our really cool sub or zip around in our super fast Monopods or experiment with our Transporter Kiosks or touch our amazing espresso machine.

LaM spent countless hours getting his desktop setup "just so" and now all has been undone. So now I have an entire team of people dedicated to recreating his desktop arrangement which will take weeks of 24-hour effort.

We now suspect that your question was a trap to make us lose valuable productivity and put our project behind schedule.

This means war!

-Mort

[jsteinhauer]

Nice video. What software did you put the sequencing together in?

I thought the video was seamless, but rather boring. Mort was probably using a video capture software, like Camtasia & a 3D joystick mouse. Could have made it a walk through rendering with shadows on. That would have been cool. I had to turn it off after a minute, cause it made me sleepy. Where is the flash of light that we've all seen in SyFy TV/Movies when the Teleporter switches on. Kind of a slow teleporter that takes a few seconds to send you from one location to another. At least you get to enjoy the view well you're flying through space/time.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[Craig_L]

Don't listen to these jealous minions.
It's not usual for the worker drones to see the Grand Big Picture focusing only on the abscence of light flashies and lipstick mirrors on their teleporter kiosks...After all it is a kiosk therefore it should probably also dispense food and drinks right?

The reality is that because this is an "evil' lair, people are transformed into beams of dark, instead of beams of light, and so you don't see any flash at all.

Looks like a whole lot of work, and you must be running a pretty decent machine to not get any real slow down in the pan and quick zooms you have there. It's looking really nice in it's entirety, is there much more construction still required or are you starting to get close to final production mode?

Can't wait to see a full render and walkthru's with lighting etc, but I imagine that will be in about 3 years unless LAM surrenders his supercomputer to rendering sequences.

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

Mortimer (a.k.a Reginald C. Scruffnaegel, Son of Faraminion Teragliff keeper of the flame of Remorthia Ollaliff of Off-Center Earth) does not share his techniques, so don't bother asking. It is a quasi-evil lair, so of course he won't share techniques.

The Revit modeling is cool, however in reality this "lair" is a design for a Company that will manufacture Velcro wallets, Zubaz pants, Mesh Halfshirts and Fannypacks.(that's why they need to be on a secluded island)

Attached is a recent photo of LaM, (which really stands for "Loves a Munchin") trying to down a large burger while he was on vacation.

[sbrown]

Please send my humblest apology to the master. I would not want to disrupt progress on this project. I'm surprised he even uses a desktop to access the internet. I would have thought he would have a microprocessor and wireless device surgically implanted in his brain designed by the mad scientist heading up this operation.

[patricks]

Hello Mr. Brown -

Lord and Master attempted to contact you with more information. But when your company's website (http://www.hhcp.com/) hijacked his browser window and automatically re-sized it, LaM became enraged.

LaM now insists we will never allow you to visit our secret Evil Island Lair (TM) or get to steer our really cool sub or zip around in our super fast Monopods or experiment with our Transporter Kiosks or touch our amazing espresso machine.

LaM spent countless hours getting his desktop setup "just so" and now all has been undone. So now I have an entire team of people dedicated to recreating his desktop arrangement which will take weeks of 24-hour effort.

We now suspect that your question was a trap to make us lose valuable productivity and put our project behind schedule.

This means war!

-Mort

Your LaM's desktop must be weak. I went to his company website and it did no such desktop rearranging on my end. :p

If your systems are that susceptible to hijacking well then you better get some better security in place and fast.

[Scott D Davis]

Your LaM's desktop must be weak. I went to his company website and it did no such desktop rearranging on my end. :p

If your systems are that susceptible to hijacking well then you better get some better security in place and fast.

I think LaM uses a Mac....

[patricks]

I think LaM uses a Mac....

Which theoretically should be even less vulnerable to so-called hijacking ;)

[jsteinhauer]

I think LaM uses a Mac....

Hey Scott,

I think you're over estimating LaM's computational power. But your in the right species of computers. See attached image of LaM and his powerhouse super computers.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[MortimerV]

Greetings all -

First, apologies in advance for lack of updates.
Second, LaM has been obsessing over design of mechanical systems as well as the color of his cape (deep shimmering grey with a just a hint of violet).
Finally, Minions continue to dominate henchman at volleyball.

In other news, visualization studies of the upper launch area successful.

http://www.youtube.com/user/ProjectSauron

-Mort

PS. LaM still owns an original 1984 Macintosh. What many believe to be an "old computer" he proudly refers to as, "Late 20th Century Industrial Art".

[MortimerV]

Hi Everyone -

Is anyone using Socialcast (http://www.socialcast.com/) for project collaboration? LaM recons it's like Facebook for business and we should sign up all the Minions (that design) and Henchmen (that construct) and the Lackeys (that manage).
Lackeys...don't even get me started. You can hear their clamoring key rings from a mile away. But then after they show up they never have the right key with them. Then you sit...and wait...and wait.
That's the inside joke, get it? Lackey....lack key...oh nevermind. Even designing the next supersecretevilislandlair has it's ups and downs.

http://www.socialcast.com/

-Mort

[Steve_Stafford]

Is it true the LaM has signed a contract to build the next secret lair for Dr. Heinz Doofenshmirtz (http://phineasandferb.wikia.com/wiki/Dr._Doofenshmirtz)and his Evil Incorporated in his bid to finally take-over/control the "tri-state area"?

[Craig_L]

So I did some digging around with my Private Investigator and got some results on who LaM and Mortimer actually are, and I believe the above "code names" actually point to these two hardened criminals.

[MortimerV]

Good news everyone -

Online collaboration between Minions, Henchman and LaM has been integrated into Project Sauron. Email seems a natural fit - but Socialcast, Twitter and others work just as well. Very easy:

http://www.youtube.com/projectsauron

So what's hard? I'm still trying to create a decent model of a robot shark in Revit. If anyone has something from a previous project please share. And FYI - laser beams are stupid. But super-cavitating pencil sized missiles? Very cool...

Thanks -

Mort

[MortimerV]

Testing jet-packs earlier today and just had to pull out the iPhone and snap a late afternoon pic over the launch area. Tried to keep the camera still but nearly impossible between the vibrations and auto-pilot mode. Still don't know if I like using the iPhone for a camera because the button is really small and very difficult to operate with gloves. But I'm hearing rumor that iOS5 uses a button rather than the touch screen.
Safe travels!
-Mort

[MortimerV]

Mech Sharks have arrived and are being posted in the shallows around the island. Very important to disable the ones in the lagoon before swimming. Roughly 8 meters in length and short speed bursts of nearly to 40 knots.

To Anonymous: South latitude of 9.4 is very, very close. But your longitude is way off.

Keep trying -

Mort

[Steve_Stafford]

The sharks have a design flaw...where does what they chew up "go"? Or do I not want to know the answer to that?

[bbeck]

Probably small self supporting bio-electric conversion process located just to the rear of the dorsal fin. Zero Carbon Sharks helping the entire facility attain LEED.

[MortimerV]

The sharks have a design flaw...where does what they chew up "go"? Or do I not want to know the answer to that?

There's an "exhaust" port not shown in the component families. I'll get on the design team to model it more accurately.

Good catch -

Mort

[MortimerV]

Update. The blades weren't correct either. They don't point directly to the center of the opening. They're rotated slightly on axis. You can also see the 'exhaust' port. But according to the manufacturer most stuff just spins out of the slots around the blades.

See attached.

-Mort

[MortimerV]

One more update. Below the waterline looking toward the sub and dock area.

-Mort

[cdatechguy]

The sharks have a design flaw...where does what they chew up "go"? Or do I not want to know the answer to that?
Maybe they are powered by a Mr. Fusion? If that is the case I want one....NOW!

[Craig_L]

Update. The blades weren't correct either. They don't point directly to the center of the opening. They're rotated slightly on axis. You can also see the 'exhaust' port. But according to the manufacturer most stuff just spins out of the slots around the blades.

See attached.

-Mort

Also makes julienne fries.

[MortimerV]

Work remain near standstill because of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. We're all hoping that Tonga cripples the Canadian team. Not permanently crippled, mind you. Just crippled like when you wake up after a long night's drinking and your friends have drawn all over your face with markers and shaved your eyebrows. In other words, you can still get home, but you're really embarrassed to show yourself.

In other news, exterior lights are being installed around the EIL (Evil Island Lair). Snapped this while testing night flights with the jet-pack. Will try to get a few more in the next day or so.

Thanks again for all your help and suggestions.

-Mort

[Craig_L]

Work remain near standstill because of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. We're all hoping that Tonga cripples the Canadian team. Not permanently crippled, mind you. Just crippled like when you wake up after a long night's drinking and your friends have drawn all over your face with markers and shaved your eyebrows. In other words, you can still get home, but you're really embarrassed to show yourself.

-Mort

Ah yes, you mean just like that time that Australia beat the All Blacks in the tri nations earlier this year, just a few months back?

[MortimerV]

I like to create a baluster with an integrated lighting element that will illuminate stairs and walkways. How can I add a lighting element to a baluster such that the baluster can be used in the railing (so it has to be a baluster family) but still render as a light (because it contains a light source).
Thanks -
Mort

[rosskirby]

You might be able to nest a lighting fixture family inside of the baluster family. Just create a typical lighting family (unhosted, or maybe face-based) and load it into a baluster family. You can create the geometry for the actual fixture/baluster in either family, although it would probably behave better if you modeled the geometry in the baluster family, and left the light fixture family as just the light source.

[Steve_Stafford]

We've been told, in the past, that a light fixture with multiple lamps needs to be built with nested shared light fixture families. Applying the same logic to the baluster has some weird results. In my test I found that only one light fixture appears regardless of the number of balusters and it doesn't respect the location of any particular baluster. Strange and weird...but it does render.

So I backed up, didn't assume anything... I find that a baluster with a nested light fixture (that is NOT shared) works as expected and renders.

[MortimerV]

Perfect - thanks Steve! I had the same results. When "sharing" the nested light it only occurred once. So it renders without being shared. My other challenge is that the lights don't show up for use in Light Groups (in order to dim and modify the artificial light).
-Mort

[Steve_Stafford]

To show up in groups they'd have to be shared...catch 22. You'll have to dial in the desired output in the light fixture family - reload - repeat till acceptable. or consider using some other method to manage the lights and make it look like they are part of the baluster...

[Craig_L]

is it possible to "face based" attach something to ballusters? I don't usually work at that sort of detail level in model (structural guy) but just interested

[Steve_Stafford]

Yes, face based would work on the balusters too. Probably a better solution because the LaM may not want a light on every baluster, maybe every other one or every fourth...?

[MortimerV]

Thanks again for the tip Steve. Results attached.

Mort

[MortimerV]

And one more with a broader field of view!
-Mort

[MortimerV]

Greetings fellow BIM gurus!

Back to the cavern area. Energy plant installation is going swimmingly. Geothermal vents from the islands volcanic past are plentiful and readily accessible. Just add water and - vola! - copious amounts of steam.

Each turbine contributes a mean energy output of 1.21 gigawatts. So basically it's hot if you want it hot, cold if you want it cold and lots of power left over for recharging iPhones and such.

We've also taken up a collection for Larry's memorial - so that's a nice touch. Not the brightest bulb, old Larry. But everyone has a story.

-Mort

[gtarch]

Mort:

Just how many minions do you have working on your project?

It must be taking a lot of whip lashing to get all of this done right.

gt

[sbrown]

Looking pretty good, how far down do you have to drill to tap into that "hot air"?

[MortimerV]

Now that Scotland has lost to England in the Rugby World Cup, Lord and Master is in a terrible mood (his mother's side of the family is Scottish).

In other news, here's a few construction sequences of the monorail structure and lower monorail station platform.

http://youtu.be/cIREtBU-DtQ

Finally - Minions and Henchman are hoping to lift LaM's spirits by giving him a new espresso machine. Suggestions? We're looking for something between prosumer and professional. Though if we can't decide we'll just do what every other business does and sprinkle the place with Starbucks kiosks.

-Mort

[jsteinhauer]

Greetings fellow BIM gurus!

Back to the cavern area. Energy plant installation is going swimmingly. Geothermal vents from the islands volcanic past are plentiful and readily accessible. Just add water and - vola! - copious amounts of steam.

Each turbine contributes a mean energy output of 1.21 gigawatts. So basically it's hot if you want it hot, cold if you want it cold and lots of power left over for recharging iPhones and such.

We've also taken up a collection for Larry's memorial - so that's a nice touch. Not the brightest bulb, old Larry. But everyone has a story.

-Mort

I think you should look into the Mr Fusion. I heard it works way better then these old technology turbines. Those things contribute to earthquakes. I'm pretty sure that LoM would not be happy if his pet project slipped beneath the waves, cause someone couldn't live without their IPad.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[MortimerV]

Fusion? We looked into it. Fission is overrated and fusion is underrated.

In the meantime, there's plenty of geothermal activity to convert into mechanical activity to convert into chemical activity which eventually gets stored into fuel cells. Downside? A few of the Henchman are from New Zealand and insist on cooking their dinner over some of the more approachable thermal vents. To be honest - the results taste great, but the downside is that the lower cavern area constantly smells like boiled seagull.

Anyway, the fuel cells are really cool. They're 99.9% inorganic but contain key organic components - including the DNA of bioluminescent plankton which are abundant in the this area. As a result, the fuel cells glow when fully charged but slowly dim as their charge depletes. Another commercially viable application? Common household batteries that glow when they're charged. This makes finding them in the dark or during a power outage really easy (rather than add insult to injury when the lights go out).

We sold the IP for the glow-in-the-dark household battery idea to GE a few months back. Lord and Master asked when someone might be able to buy the newfangled batteries at Target and the suits at GE just sat silent for a moment...then burst out laughing.

-Mort

[jsteinhauer]

Fusion? We looked into it. Fission is overrated and fusion is underrated.

In the meantime, there's plenty of geothermal activity to convert into mechanical activity to convert into chemical activity which eventually gets stored into fuel cells. Downside? A few of the Henchman are from New Zealand and insist on cooking their dinner over some of the more approachable thermal vents. To be honest - the results taste great, but the downside is that the lower cavern area constantly smells like boiled seagull.

Anyway, the fuel cells are really cool. They're 99.9% inorganic but contain key organic components - including the DNA of bioluminescent plankton which are abundant in the this area. As a result, the fuel cells glow when fully charged but slowly dim as their charge depletes. Another commercially viable application? Common household batteries that glow when they're charged. This makes finding them in the dark or during a power outage really easy (rather than add insult to injury when the lights go out).

We sold the IP for the glow-in-the-dark household battery idea to GE a few months back. Lord and Master asked when someone might be able to buy the newfangled batteries at Target and the suits at GE just sat silent for a moment...then burst out laughing.

-Mort

Sounds to me like the suits at GE insulted LaM. He's not going to take that laying down, is he? Steamed Seagull, hum, I wonder if that tastes anything like steamed pidgin. Doesn't the glowing from the plankton take away from the charge of the batteries, causing them to expel their energy faster then normal? Most experiences with alternative energy laboratories, take chemical, electrical and heat energy to make chemicals, not mechanical. How does one make new chemicals through mechanical forces? I think some of my clients would be interested in hearing about this.

Cheers,
Jeff S.

[NKramer]

How does one make new chemicals through mechanical forces?

Cheers,
Jeff S.

One word: Alchemy

[eviele]

Now that Scotland has lost to England in the Rugby World Cup, Lord and Master is in a terrible mood (his mother's side of the family is Scottish).

In other news, here's a few construction sequences of the monorail structure and lower monorail station platform.

http://youtu.be/e1HJov0sqvo



OMG!
What software are you using to do this??

:confused:

[jsteinhauer]

One word: Alchemy

Alchemy uses a mixture of primitive chemistry and magical forces to turn something of little value into something of great value. Not Mechanical Forces...

The software Mort is using is Revit. Not sure what video capture software is in use.

[eviele]

Mort used Revit for the sequencing?
And the subdivision of the floor slab?

Where's that button hiding....

[jsteinhauer]

Mort used Revit for the sequencing?
And the subdivision of the floor slab?

Where's that button hiding....

Could be using different phases, or design options, or a combination of the two. OR, it's his progression of his "Project". As for the floor slabs, I'm not following ya.

[MortimerV]

A few Henchman noticed a small bird flying in the cavern area that couldn't seem to get out. On closer inspection turned out to be some sort of small autonomous bird shaped robot.

They caught it and plugged in the mini-USB port. Apparently it was taking photos (attached).

Seems like a lot of trouble to go through to get a look at Project Sauron. Most people are just polite and ask. Those that have had a look around the place really like what they see. And they go home with much nicer pictures.

Looks like one of Larry Ellison's mega-yachts in the distance. Time to take the sub out for moonlit drive...

-Mort

[MortimerV]

Prope Est Initium
The Beginning is Near (http://youtu.be/WxEq8ue8D2A)

[MortimerV]

Seasons greetings - see you in 2012!

[Exar Kun]

Indeed, after a presentation at a certain recent Revit Technology Conference, I can imagine a certain Revit luminary could tell us a lot about set design in Revit and those movies that it has already been used in...

So, Mortimer, has Lord and Master given you some time off to give a presentation at RTC 2012???

[MortimerV]

Hello Exar -

Possibly, if the Space Plane is available. It's presently scheduled to assist in the delivery of new iPad3's through June. As a back up we could use the sub - but the Unobtanium knob on the gear shift is missing and getting a new one turns out to be not so easy to acquire.

Suffice to say that James Cameron can forget about being on this year's Christmas Card list.

More speaker info here:

http://www.revitconference.com.au/rtc2012au/rtc2012au_speakers.htm

-Mort

[The Curtain Skileef]

Drooling awkwardly ends raging leopards investigating historical photography.

[The Curtain Skileef]

"Drooling awkwardly ends raging leopards investigating historical photography" - Needs to be decoded

[antman]

"Drooling awkwardly ends raging leopards investigating historical photography" - Needs to be decoded

WAY too easy. I just assumed everyone got it, Mr. P.R. .-)

Edit: Do I win something for decoding it? MARA 2013, perhaps, hmmm?

[Baldwin_4-6-0]

WAY too easy. I just assumed everyone got it, Mr. P.R. .-)

Edit: Do I win something for decoding it? MARA 2013, perhaps, hmmm?

Yeah it was rather easy...Pay no attention to the LAM behind the curtain.

[The Curtain Skileef]

WAY too easy. I just assumed everyone got it, Mr. P.R. .-)

Edit: Do I win something for decoding it? MARA 2013, perhaps, hmmm?

Your Prize is: A Lifetime Supply of Air.
*cannot be redeemed under water or in outer space.

[antman]

Because of the elevation, there's a significantly lesser amount of air here in Denver, compared to, say, Charlotte (I mean, an evil lair at sea level). Is there some sort of comp package? Heart beats thrown in for free?

[patricks]

Is this thing built yet?? :p

After watching old 007 James Bond flicks, this is starting to look remarkably like the Japanese under-mountain lair of Blofeld in "You Only Live Twice" :D

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTQyOTQ2ODUwN15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMTQyMzk3NA@@._V1._SX640_SY432_.jpg

[bbeck]

Mortimer has struck again! He lives....LAM Lives

[MikeJarosz]

Drooling awkwardly ends raging leopards investigating historical photography.

Sure looks like Phil Read