Mega Construx™ Destiny Designer Q&A *OFFICIAL THREAD*

[MCX_Team]

When designing a set, how do you go about building the initial prototypes? How do you know what bricks to use without instructions?

Emile: Well we don't know what bricks to use beforehand! We have the complete library of all bricks in every color at our disposal!! It's really about choosing the medium that will suit the shape... but mostly it's trial an error! We start with a generic shape, and we get more and more precise with each try. For example, the Arcadia Jumpship took 26 tries before getting it right!

[charliebucket]

When designing a set, how do you go about building the initial prototypes? How do you know what bricks to use without instructions?

Emile: Well we don't know what bricks to use beforehand! We have the complete library of all bricks in every color at our disposal!! It's really about choosing the medium that will suit the shape... but mostly it's trial an error! We start with a generic shape, and we get more and more precise with each try. For example, the Arcadia Jumpship took 26 tries before getting it right!

How do you store said library of elements? Do you use drawers big tubs? And do you store some common parts underneath your desk?

[LishaThorne]

How did you get into this field? Is there a mega university? :) - was this something you thought of doing from the start?

[MCX_Team]

When designing a set, how do you go about building the initial prototypes? How do you know what bricks to use without instructions?

Emile: Well we don't know what bricks to use beforehand! We have the complete library of all bricks in every color at our disposal!! It's really about choosing the medium that will suit the shape... but mostly it's trial an error! We start with a generic shape, and we get more and more precise with each try. For example, the Arcadia Jumpship took 26 tries before getting it right!

How do you store said library of elements? Do you use drawers big tubs? And do you store some common parts underneath your desk?

Louis-Charles: Everyone has their own technique! Emile is a really organized person so his desk is full of perfectly labeled drawers. Some members of our team use big tubs, others... simply use piles on their desks! The organization method really reflects the individual designer!

It's also nice to mention that we have a master library of parts that any designer has access to use throughout the day.

[evil_mike]

Thanks for doing this! My son (11) is a huge Destiny fan and has all of the Mega sets (as well as a ton of the Halo ones too). In fact, he just got the Aspect of Glass, Cabal Bruiser, and Goliath Tank sets for his birthday last week (it helps having a dad who's a big fan too). I have a few questions for you:

1) What's your favorite set that you've designed to date?
2) What are the biggest hurdles you have in designing your sets?
3) How long does it take you to come up with the set designs?
4) How much do you love your job? I mean, you get to play with kick-*** toys all day!! :-)

Thanks again.

[MCX_Team]

How did you get into this field? Is there a mega university? :) - was this something you thought of doing from the start?

Louis-Charles: We all have the same background. We all studied industrial design/product design. I played with a lot of bricks when I was younger, and I've always been interested in small details that most people might not notice. Therefore, working with figurines is what I find most fun about my job (aside from the awesome team!). It was also great to get introduced to the gaming world... now I play after work all the time with my coworkers!

Emile: I was fresh out of college and I really took the job offer that presented itself to me. At first I was skeptic about working for a toy company, I thought that there were not going to be enough technical challenges... however I was immensely wrong! There are a lot of technical challenges on top of artist challenges as well. I was also a fan of brick-building way before taking this position (12 years!).

Jonathan: I have the same background from the rest, and I came from the arts, and I'm passionate about gaming, so this really is a perfect position for me!

[charliebucket]

When you were kids did any of you have the older sets? (Dragons, Pyrates, Alien Agency, Creature Seekers ECT...)

[Nilbog]

I just wanted to Thank all of you for all of your hard work and dedication. Cant wait to see what Mega has in store for us in the future.

[MCX_Team]

Thanks for doing this! My son (11) is a huge Destiny fan and has all of the Mega sets (as well as a ton of the Halo ones too). In fact, he just got the Aspect of Glass, Cabal Bruiser, and Goliath Tank sets for his birthday last week (it helps having a dad who's a big fan too). I have a few questions for you:

1) What's your favorite set that you've designed to date?
2) What are the biggest hurdles you have in designing your sets?
3) How long does it take you to come up with the set designs?
4) How much do you love your job? I mean, you get to play with kick-*** toys all day!! :-)

Thanks again.

1.
Emile: It's a tough one... I'm really torn before the Aspect of Glass and the Cabal Harvester Dropship!
Jonathan: I would say the Lord Saladin Figure and the SDCC Iron Song Ghost Shell.
Louis-Charlies: Same!! It was a challenge, but... it's Lord Saladin!!! Very cool to work on.

2.
Jonathan: To give the most value that we can! We always want to give more to you fans!
Emile: Keeping to the schedule. You're always trying to improve a model but sometimes you have to let go and hand it off!

3.
Emile: It really depends on the scale of the model. We actually work on all of the projects at the same time. For a medium build, sometimes it takes a month or two to really nail down the finite details.

4.
Louis-Charles: We really really love our job! It's very cool to have feedback from you guys and we appreciate hearing stories like yours -- thanks for your questions and coming to hang out with us!
Emile: It's amazing to receive the feedback from the fans! We're in a unique industry where we can really hear the feedback direct from the fans and that's great.
Jonathan: I love my job! It's awesome being able to work directly with Bungie and bring their game to life through toy.

[MCX_Team]

When you were kids did any of you have the older sets? (Dragons, Pyrates, Alien Agency, Creature Seekers ECT...)

Emile: I remember... I had the set #9070, which was the Dinobloks Brontosaurus from 1992! My grandmother also gave me some Kiddicraft bricks.
Louis-Charles: I had a lot of blocks growing up, but I also had a lot of turtles and those old classic action figures... Hot Wheels!
Jonathan: I loved GI Joes growing up!