Fallout 4
Buy GameFallout 4 – Lego Dogmeat and Power Armor
Fallout 4
Buy GameSome people seek fame.
Others chase fortune. Pierre has a different ambition. The 41-year-old family man from Palaiseau, France, would love to be a LEGO Master Builder. And now, thanks to Fallout 4, he might just be one step closer.
Which makes sense, considering his dual passions. Not only is Pierre an avid gamer (with a hefty helping of Achievements to his name), but he also spends a lot of his spare time crafting his own LEGO creations, including several notable videogame-based builds. But after tackling the likes of Goemon and Super Meat Boy, Pierre was seeking an even greater challenge.
“It’s been a while since I had the desire to build something really big,” he says. “I was waiting for E3 to decide which game I’ll go for.” As soon as he saw Fallout 4 in this year’s E3 Showcase, Pierre knew what was next. “It was a no-brainer for me,” he laughs. “I started straight away.”
Impressed with the size and scope of Fallout 4, Pierre found a piece of art on the Fallout4.com official site, and he began his build using it as his only reference. “It was fun to try to understand the hidden parts and imagine how it feels to wander in such a place,” he says. “What’s nice with LEGO is that there is no limitation. Plus the Fallout universe really fits my preference for tiny details and unique elements.”
His first major task? Figuring out the relative sizes of everything in his build. Pierre started with Dogmeat, using the canine companion as an initial reference. He then moved onto the Power Armor, which was key to determining the height of the entire piece. “I was not used to this scale,” he says. “So I prayed all the size ratios were correct.”
Not only was this Pierre’s biggest project yet, but it was also a series of other firsts for him. “To be honest, Dogmeat is the first dog I’ve built,” he says. “I started Dogmeat’s head first, then moved on to the body. In the end it was infinitely easier to build compared to the Power Armor.”
While Pierre constructed Dogmeat using only the bricks he had on hand, he soon found he needed much more. “The Power Armor turned out to be a real challenge because of all the details and unusual pieces involved,” he says. So after he depleted his own supply, he pillaged his children’s LEGO sets. When that wasn’t enough, he found himself foraging amongst the LEGO forums, trading precious pieces from his personal stock for other rare or unusual bricks. “The coolest thing with LEGO is taking a specific piece from one set and using it for something radically different,” he smiles. “For instance, I found a specific black, rounded Star Wars piece and I used it for Dogmeat’s back.” And that wasn’t the only piece Pierre repurposed; along with numerous other Star Wars bricks, he incorporated bumpers from various car sets, plenty of Technic pieces (primarily used behind the scenes) and almost the entire Sydney Opera House.
While Pierre adored Fallout 3, he readily concedes that he’s not as intimately steeped in the lore of the Fallout universe as some of the game’s biggest fans. Pierre also avoided any new info about Fallout 4 after the E3 Showcase because he’s looking forward to discovering everything in new game on his own. Which, naturally, has him a bit worried about debuting his build in front of Fallout fans. “There are for sure some misinterpretations,” he laughs, “so I hope hardcore fans will forgive me for them!”
From our perspective, Pierre has nothing to worry about. We’re more than impressed. This massive build – measuring 1.55m x 0.8m x 0.6m (or 61” x 31.5” x 23.6”) and weighing in at well above 20,000 pieces – ably captures the essence of Fallout 4, while recreating key details that are essential to these unique characters. And, surely, it’s a perfect portfolio piece to further Pierre’s dream of becoming a LEGO Master Builder. (Check out more of Pierre’s work on his Flickr account.)
As for any amateur brick-builders who might be interested in taking a shot at crafting their own Fallout creations, we’ll be back soon with Pierre’s detailed instructions on how to build his version of Dogmeat. But until then, Pierre has some encouraging words…
“Don’t be afraid and start right away,” he says. “What’s great with LEGO is that you can tweak and restart easily until you get it right. For instance, I rebuilt the rear legs of Dogmeat three or four times before being satisfied with them. Just build! Now!”
