Newsboys In NY II: Brooklyn Bridge

[ldhenson]

This is a companion piece to my first shadow box game. This time around it's still Newsies, with a focus on a different part of turn of the century New York.





If you're a fan of the movie, you'll know what I mean by the "shouting off the Brooklyn Bridge" bit! At any rate, the object of the game is to tilt the box and line up all three marbles along the stylized bridge.





It's not as simple as it looks. The bridge's "cables" are quite deceptive; they actually do very little to hold the marbles in. Tilt a marble lightly against them and it might stay, but anything more than a very faint pressure will cause the "cables" to flex and the marble will roll right under them.

If I want to make it even harder, I can specify a particular order for the marbles. But it's pretty challenging as it is.





The "ground" is an 1897 map of New York. The bridge is constructed of balsa, clay, and fine chain. At the center of the bridge, I've caught the chain in small loops of wire so it doesn't swing when the game is tilted. Stills from the movie line the side walls, scenes featuring Manhattan characters on two sides, Brooklyn on the others.





As with the first game, it's all set into a glass-topped shadow box; the base is held in by pressure and can be carefully removed if I need to get at the interior for any reason; and the underside of the base is lined with felt.

I don't know what's more fun, playing these or making 'em.

(x-posted to craftgrrl here), pocketshrines here)

Comments

[frankcheez.livejournal.com]

That's really neat! Nice work.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[queenitsy.livejournal.com]

Again, I say: holy shit! These are really some of the most amazing things I've ever seen; they're just *beautiful*.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks! They're quite addictive in fact; I'm toying with an idea for another.

[pinkdormouse.livejournal.com]

I like that a lot.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

[swankyfunk.livejournal.com]

That. Is. Adorable. And incredibly creative.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I've been wanting to do this sort of thing for a long while now, but only recently did I get my act together and do it!

[exousia.livejournal.com]

Very pretty. What a great and professional looking job you've done.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Aw, thank you!

[mxtape.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh! I have such a fetish for old maps--this is amazing.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Old maps are fantastic, and I find them especially appealing under glass. Thanks!

[dyven17.livejournal.com]

gabriel damon (spot) is so freakin' cute in that movie, and he's really good in Social Misfits. Also, seeing the current Batman dancing along with Lonestar (Bill Pullman, Spaceballs) is perhaps the most entertaining thing that I have ever seen. I freakin' love Newsies. *drool* sexy boys in newscaps and suspenders.

the boxes are really wonderful as well. i don't mean to just tow the newsies line...but...suspenders!!!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

I first saw Bill Pullman in Spaceballs. In a way he'll always be Lone Starr to me :-)

What's Social Misfits?

Glad you like the shadow boxes!

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

How very cool! And so creative! You're just a marvel! (A marble marvel.)

Is there any groove or anything that holds the marbles in place on the bridge? Or is it only the little chains? Where are the loops of wire that you mention? Are they only at the lowest trough of the chain? Oh wait, I think I see them. So it's the sides of the chain that are tricky and still swing? I was thinking at first that it sounded impossible to ever get the marbles to line up, but the little loops of wire are very merciful of you. :D

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks!

Nothing holds the marbles on the bridge except the steadiness of your hand, and if you're careful you can try to balance them against the legs of the bridge and the wire loops (but they're small and stick up from the ground only a little). Yes, the loops are only at the lowest point of the chain at the center of the bridge. All they do is keep the chains from swinging out wildly to the side when the box is tilted. There's still enough slack in the chains--which form sort of triangular shapes with the ground and bridge legs, in the middle part of the bridge and at both ends--that a rolling marble will lift and slip underneath them with only a little force.

All I can say is, don't play it on the bus :-)

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

All I can say is, don't play it on the bus :-)

Hee. :D

[grace-poppy.livejournal.com]

OH! The conservator in me just barged in and told me to tell you that you should use archival materials - cotton or linen paper when you print the maps and stills, and you should seal the wood so it doesn't discolor the paper!

Eeep. The conservator in me is kind of bossy. I apologize for her behavior... She just wants what's best for your artifacts. She's been all over my case with my dollhouse miniatures lately.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Bossy Conservator, barge in all you want. I could use more reminders like this. I'm generally careful about sealing wood and using acid-free glues, but paper is trickier. I'm using the library printer since all we have at home is the ink-jet (which runs when wet), and they don't let us bring in our own paper. I think. I ought to double-check.

[fallonmay.livejournal.com]

You're killing me here. Do you have any idea how much I'm loving this? ;)

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've started work on a third, but I keep running into snags.

[esteven]

I love your ideas and your attention to detail. You are such a wonderfully talented person.:D I think I'd love to make those more than playing with them...though I'd surely love to play with this;D

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Glad you like! It really is a lot of fun creating a little movable "world" under glass.

[lauren-urban.livejournal.com]

This Brooklyn girl thinks that is suuuuper cute!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Hee, thanks!

[cymbalism219.livejournal.com]

That is some breathtaking attention to detail, LD. Lovely job.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Details can be headache-y at times but I wouldn't have it any other way.

[dancingardangel.livejournal.com]

You're very creative! Must have been hard work but it's really nice!! LOVE IT!!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I've also added tiny metal-rimmed plaques (http://ldhenson.livejournal.com/163735.html) (with the game's title) to each box now.

I love it!

[ashlynalexis.livejournal.com]

I love playing with these sort of games! Great Idea and they are gorgeous and well done!
Love Always Brooklyn's "Fallen" Angel
Angelstar

Re: I love it!

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Well, thanks! I'm happy how they turned out; the Victorian setting is just perfect for games like these.

[outlaw-jesus.livejournal.com]

you're so clever! i love this and especially the last one you posted. great job! and beautiful, too :)

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I had a lot of fun making these.

[horrorvacuii.livejournal.com]

Fantastic! My grandpa used to make this sort of game for me when I was little, all kinds of puzzles where you had to tilt and move different planes to align objects and whatever. I love this.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's awesome your grandpa made those for you. Do you still have them?

[horrorvacuii.livejournal.com]

Yup, probably somewhere in my parent's house. :}

[iheartastros11.livejournal.com]

WOW!! that's amazing!! Newsies is an AWesome movie! I love it.. especially since Christian Bale is in it. :)
did you come up with the idea of the game?

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Haha, I only watched it because of Christian Bale, and then I fell in love with the turn of the century setting.

did you come up with the idea of the game?

Yes. The first one (http://ldhenson.livejournal.com/161955.html) was based off a real historical game, but this one is all mine.

[delorita.livejournal.com]

Hey there! Very well done with the box! Cool idea.

Looks like Christian brought a lot of us into yet another new fandom. Of course I only watched the movie because of him as well and fell in love with it immediately!

LD, you're using a lot of hot Jack icons! Love them all as well.

[ldhenson.livejournal.com]

Well thanks! It's like having little pieces of the Newsies world, under glass.

Glad you like the icons too. Though my paid time just expired and I haven't re-instated it yet, so no Jack icons for me to use right now...

[delorita.livejournal.com]

oh I am on a free account too. Changing my 15 icons all the time lol