General discussion - public

[Gwangi]

I can believe it and I want it. 

[Samrukia]

aliexpress has sale ongoing (-15%), and if your order is $100+, they give you discount of $15.
decided to use chatgpt to decide the best strategy of shopping:
`
quite cool 

[Faelrin]

@DinoToyForum Saw you got featured on one of the subreddits I check out (the title is incorrect of course, and the top comment points it out). I know Liopleurodon is not the giant it was made out in WWD (and is also no Kronosaurus), but seeing this pic shows it still has some rather impressive jaws on it. Not something I'd want to be in the water with.

https://reddit.com/r/Naturewasmetal/comments/1glowe6/the_head_of_a_liopleurodon_to_scale_with_the/

Any story on the making of this one?

[DinoToyForum]

@DinoToyForum Saw you got featured on one of the subreddits I check out (the title is incorrect of course, and the top comment points it out). I know Liopleurodon is not the giant it was made out in WWD (and is also no Kronosaurus), but seeing this pic shows it still has some rather impressive jaws on it. Not something I'd want to be in the water with.

https://reddit.com/r/Naturewasmetal/comments/1glowe6/the_head_of_a_liopleurodon_to_scale_with_the/

Any story on the making of this one?

Bob's been sharing lots of pictures on his social platforms to celebrate 25 years of paleoart. He posted that picture of me on Mastodon a few days ago here https://sauropods.win/@BobNicholls/113407194120407401 as part of a long series of posts describing the story of that pliosaur model. Someone has stolen Bob's photo, put it on Reddit without Bob's permission or credit (lucky Bob watermarked the picture), and described it wrongly. Classy, but that's Reddit for ya.

I recommend you all go to Mastodon (https://sauropods.win is a good server to use as your base), follow Bob Nicholls directly there, and enjoy!

This head was on display for a while in the Changing Planet gallery at Wollaton Hall, but is now being installed as part of a new gallery (forum thread about it here), where it will be joined by an ichthyosaur, also sculpted by Bob, leaping from the pliosaur's jaws. The display also includes the fossils that inspired the models, in the case of the pliosaur it was based directly on a large tooth that was laser scanned and 3D-printed. The gallery also tells the story of how Bob built it. I remember visiting him in his workshop at the time.

[Faelrin]

Thanks for sharing the source and some info on it too. I'll be sure to check that out.

[crazy8wizard]

There's a big chain of comments in that reddit post that really drive home the double edged knife that is Liopleurodon being known from a youtube animation. I like that more people know about it from outside of paleomedia but it just so happens to be in the most annoying way possible lol.

[triceratops83]

Well, if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because my computer's on the fritz. It says it's out of memory. I put everything on an external hard drive and deleted it all off the computer, but I don't think it helped. I'm about to buy a new car and don't need an extra expense at the moment, but a computer is kinda necessary I guess. Though I suppose it's hard to tell with me because I post so sporadically, but I visit the forum every day. You folk really mean a lot to me.

[Paleomimi]

With how bad some things are getting in 2025, going back to dinosaur collecting was the best decision I could have made. No matter the situation, dino toys always give joy!

[SidB]

Well, if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because my computer's on the fritz. It says it's out of memory. I put everything on an external hard drive and deleted it all off the computer, but I don't think it helped. I'm about to buy a new car and don't need an extra expense at the moment, but a computer is kinda necessary I guess. Though I suppose it's hard to tell with me because I post so sporadically, but I visit the forum every day. You folk really mean a lot to me.

Would getting a reconditioned unit be an option @triceratops83? A bit cheaper.

[Gwangi]

With how bad some things are getting in 2025, going back to dinosaur collecting was the best decision I could have made. No matter the situation, dino toys always give joy!

It's gonna be the little things in life that get us through these trying times.

[CityRaptor]

In case you wonder: I actually visit the forum every day. I just don't always log in.

Currently busy with some projects, including upgrading my display shelves into cabinets with some doors. And of course still restructuring the collection.

[triceratops83]

Well, if you don't hear from me for a while, it's because my computer's on the fritz. It says it's out of memory. I put everything on an external hard drive and deleted it all off the computer, but I don't think it helped. I'm about to buy a new car and don't need an extra expense at the moment, but a computer is kinda necessary I guess. Though I suppose it's hard to tell with me because I post so sporadically, but I visit the forum every day. You folk really mean a lot to me.

Would getting a reconditioned unit be an option @triceratops83? A bit cheaper.

Knowing me, I'd only buy the cheapest computer anyway. It still technically works, just would be a huge pain to upload photos and post them - the last time I posted photos it took an hour or more. And yeah, I've just got a lot on my plate at the moment. Unless this computer blows up in the meantime, I'll just wait until the end of the financial year, when I usually get a good tax return.

[Libraraptor]

Because this forum is largely free of politics, it feels like a capsule or an oasis that helps me to strengthen my resilience, too. Paleontology and collecting  are refuges that are always available to everyone.

[SidB]

Because this forum is largely free of politics, it feels like a capsule or an oasis that helps me to strengthen my resilience, too. Paleontology and collecting  are refuges that are always available to everyone.

The refuge concept is really important and excluding (largely) politics and religion seems to be necessary to achieve this. In a perfect world that would be unnecessary, but we live where people are riven by insecurities, strong biases which they insist on doubling down upon, and animosities, both smoldering and fierce. Regarding religion, for instance, Swift wrote that many have just enough religion to hate others, and not enough to love them. Then, politics itself has been aptly described as a 'blood sport'. 'nuff said.

[Libraraptor]

Couldn´t have said that better, S @SidB! Thumbs up!

[Cpt Red 3eard]

I have a question. I'm considering downsizing my Hammond Collection... er, collection (and maybe a handful of other pieces) and I really don't want to sell on ebay with how goofy their fees/shipping are handled.

What would be the best way to go about showcasing my stuff here to see if anyone is interested? (including the etiquette for selling via paypal/cashapp/etc). I want to be fair with my prices/shipping and cover both myself and any potential buyers.

Thanks!

[Faelrin]

@Cpt Red 3eard Make a sales thread in the classified section with some detailed images of the figures and list what you want for them. Maybe take a look at how others sell their figures here? Or hopefully some folks can give you better advice.

Depending on which figures you are selling (and for how much) I might be interested. I'm behind on quite a bit of 2023's and 2024's. Have everything from 2022 though (minus the SDCC set with Gennaro). Off hand I know the Dilophosaurus, Ceratosaurus, and Irritator are typically sought after and sometimes go for a lot.

Edit: Probably should mention I am most interested in Pyroraptor, on the chance I can pick one up from someone here versus hitting up ebay, which I've been planning on doing as I get paid in a few days.

[Faelrin]

Not sure if anyone else here plays Oblivion (or the new remaster), but I've been doing some mod work recently. Been working on a werewolf-like custom race. I actually started work on this wolf head stuff back in September I think last year. I've had the race concept for years now (2016 maybe?) and have had a few models for it (such as some custom elf like ears for the human form). Been working on it and off since then. Managed to get this animated wolf head working in game (and tail, though I've had that model since last year working, if not earlier, I don't remember). It works as a helmet. Ignore the fact I've been using a Khajiit (cat person) to test this with. I was testing some other mods earlier with them, and just decided to use it to test these models out in game quickly.

It does a little growl, and the eyes blink. Yeah the ears don't bend back correctly, but short of copying the wolf's animations and copying vertex position by vertex, which would also be really tedious, my previous attempt was terrible. That said the little bend in the ears helps gives it a little more life.





I also did some transformation sequence stuff to go with this head in blender (for turning into and back), and got the stuff for it working in game (as helmets like the above), although not sure I'll go through the trouble of adding it all for the race, as it would need some particular scripting stuff that I kind of don't feel like doing (like switching it at specific time intervals, similar to how the Dawnfang and Duskfang swords work, but down to the in game minute I guess, because it's only like 10 seconds long, or 300 frames. 2 seconds per in game minute, and 30 frames per second for animation). Partly because I could only get looping animations to work in game, and I don't fully understand how to make it play a custom animation through scripts yet. Never mind it animates in the menus, and the only work around that is to disable player controls temporarily, which I imagine will be a setback and unenjoyable (I do intend to release this once finished, and obviously use it on my next playthrough too).

Here's a quick look at the sequence, start, mid, finish (into), from the sides, and front view. Now I originally did do a version back in like September or October last year that started with a taller human like forehead that would shrink into the short wolf one, but in game it had really bad seam that didn't show up in blender, as the head is actually two models. The face (just stopping behind the eyes) is one part, and the ears and rest of the head is the other.

The bit of fur coming off the head was taken from the fur tufts on the ogre model, and added to help hide the seam on the neck. This is partly because I really don't want to go through the trouble of making a new body and/or texture for the body to have fur. Also the werewolves in Dog Soldiers had a similar look so I feel justified. I've spent quite enough time on this as it is lol.

Spoiler

[close]

Now back to the custom race stuff, I do intend to use a modified copied version of the Dawnfang/Duskfang script to get the race to switch forms at night time. And if I can get it to work, have them switch to a custom voice using the wolf sounds. I'm also debating on adding claws (goblin's maybe?) and paws (skinned hound to go with the lack of fur on the legs?)

[Faelrin]

I got even more done with my custom race mod. I mean a lot. Scripts are done (thank goodness), models mostly done (may adjust the paws still). Added some glowing eye models and textures in a multitude of colors for the human form, and a glowing model and texture for the animated wolf head. Need to do more eye colors tomorrow as options for when installing it.

As for the scripts it has two, and they control the Shapeshift lesser power (available during the day, giving wolf ears and tail, and various magic effects through enchantments) and the night time ability Blood of the Wolf that transforms (wolf head, tail, and paws) the character for the same time as the Duskfang swapping sword. A lot of trial and error to get everything to work (especially the night form removing the day time Shapeshift lesser power if used).

And this mod features my very first quest of sorts. Quests are how dialogue (and combat sounds) is done in game, and I wanted the night time wolf form to use the in game wolf sounds. That also took quite a bit of trial and error to work properly. The day form is a bit of a mute but I typically play with a silent player character voice mod anyways.

I made a video to showcase the features. There is some minor in game violence/npc death near the end of the video. Mentioning it for those sensitive to it, but otherwise nothing else. I showcase the night form first, then the day form's Shapeshift power, and the night form again (and how it removes the prior if equipped/active).

Still uploading to youtube atm. Will edit it in once up. About 40 mins left.

edit: Okay here it is:

[Over9K]

OMG!! Run for your lives! The Gator revolt has begun! They've figured out doorbells... they'll be driving soon!