Gearbox Community Badass
Simon Liu
Community Badass is back and this week, we’re featuring the uber talented, Simon Liu! Simon is a master Lego builder who has created some pretty amazing using some brain power and a bunch of Legos. Among his collection is our very own Claptrap! You can see video of the Claptrap build below as well as links to more of Simon’s creations!
How long have you been playing Borderlands?
Since release day of Borderlands 1! Back in … 2010? I honestly never heard of it before it came out, and my buddy was like: “you gotta get this game”. I played it on 360 and loved it, and I played it again when it came out on Steam with different set of buddies.
What is it about Borderlands that has you hooked and coming back for more?
It’s such a great casual Co-Op shooter, I’ve played Borderlands 2 with every character, and continue to play today, whenever people feel like chilling and just PEW PEW PEW for a few hours I’m there. Interestingly enough, For borderlands 1, I played almost half solo, half Co-op, but for Borderlands 2 and TPS, I think I’ve only ever played Co-Op.
Who is your favorite playable character?
OHHHh. that is TOUGH. There’s been so many fun characters, but I think Zer0 and chain Execute is just too much fun jumping around killing everything in sight.
If you could have a real life action skill, what would it be and why?
I kind think DeathTrap would be pretty great… who wouldn’t want a giant Robot friend, for high fiving, carrying groceries, or killing psychos?
How long have you been building with Legos?
I’ve been building LEGO since I was a kid, though I stopped for awhile for school and stuff, and started building hardcore about 4-5 years ago, it eventually replacing video games as my main hobby. I think the last game I seriously played was probably Borderlands 1.
What inspired you to build a huge Claptrap?
Well it was actually because I took a bit of break from LEGO and returned back to video games and Pandora specifically. Borderlands 2 was on sale, and another friend said he’d play with me, and it was like slipping on a glove again. And I knew the first major project I was going to build, was going to be everyone’s most favorite/hated robot.
What’s neat is because of the huge LEGO Claptrap, a few of my LEGO friends, who aren’t big gamers, started playing Borderlands. They basically went: “That game has to be good if Simon spent months building Claptrap.” And to this day I have like a little LEGO group of vault hunters that we just randomly get together grab a cold one and blow some stuff up.
What are some other builds you’ve done?
Starcraft: https://www.flickr.com/photos/si-mocs/19075763200/in/dateposted/
Halo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/si-mocs/22519409701/
While not exactly Homeworld, it was inspired by one of the old mods: https://www.flickr.com/photos/si-mocs/21505089288/
Not video game related, but still awesome, Calvin and Hobbes: https://www.flickr.com/photos/si-mocs/15542180957/
What was the build process for the claptrap like?
I spent a lot of time thinking about how to build him. Usually while I was hanging out in Sanctuary , and later in TPS, I was looking at ways to make Claptrap not be overly blocky. So a lot of time was spent thinking about what parts I could use to best approximate his umm shapely body. In addition, I’m from Toronto, and I knew I would be bringing LEGO Claptrap to shows in Chicago and Washington DC, so I had to design it to be collapsible and portable. So I had engineered this light weight frame out of LEGO Technic, which can be dismantled easily, and would sit on the giant wheel. Then I built 5 panels that would just hang on the frame, then all I had to do was attach the arms, and the eye (Yes, the eye was detachable, just so I could make the bullymong jokes).
Any advice for other aspiring Lego builders?
Go meet other LEGO builders! Either online, or at one of the many conventions in the US and the rest of the world.
You’d be amazed at how inspiring it is to meet and see other builders and their works.
What are you most looking forward to seeing from Gearbox in the future?
Of course Battleborn is next on the radar and I can’t wait to play it, and I think I heard rumours of a Borderlands movie…
But I’d love another Borderlands, it’s just an amazing series with a stunning amount of fun replay value. In fact I’m rushing this, cause my buddies are waiting on me to start…
Though I do also like RTS’s … so I hope that Shipbreakers comes to fruition.
Where can people go to check out the latest from you?
Best place would be on my flickr stream:
