>>11024354>post updates along the way based anon.I would, except I just sort of did it all in one sitting. So the update is that I finished.
The instructions and build were mostly good. A few steps were unclear in the instructions because they have piece placement facing away from the camera leaving the model at the same angle for the whole book. It's good for consistency sake, but a nightmare in that steps that are mirrored on each side, they start with the side facing away from you. Does that make sense? There was also a step were they left a piece floating in mid air for like 60 steps before the connector piece was placed to snap it in. Clearly the instructions were made digitally or things never would have been in that order. Kinda head scratching.
The tension on the string rigging pieces was also insane and it's clear this was done digitally without proper testing. It works. But it really really shouldn't. The MOC this was based on/ripped-off was different in a number of ways, all mostly when it came to newer/unique parts and accommodating such. Still, the maker of the MOC this was based on said parts to bricklink his MOC instructions clocked in at around 80-90 bucks without minifigures, which gave me cold feet. Especially because he charged $9 for instructions. This knockoff cost me $16 and change with parts abd instructions.
Even considering this one didn't come with the full unfurled brickbuilt sail and less "loot", plus some less than ideal changes to the build, it was roughly $70 cheaper. I could probably order the 11 Vikings to fill the ship and some of those plastic rigging pieces and proper printed shields and more barrels and another chest and fill everything with loot and I would still be under just buying the instructions off Rebrickable and parts from Bricklink. I'm overall quite please, this was an amazing deal compared to normal Lego.