CUSTOM MADE RINGTONES

I am having trouble coming up with a viable way of displaying the Ringworld. Some technical details:

- The circular shape is achieved using curved-wall techniques that use the tolerances between bricks to flex.
- The ring is composed of eight segments--each 72 studs in length--for a total circumference of 576 studs or 4608mm, giving it a diameter of approximately 1466mm or 57.7in.
- Because of the curved-wall technique, the ring is NOT rigid. It must be formed into a circle either by eye or using a guide or template of some sort.
- Because the difference in circumference between the inner and outer rings make aligning the studs impossible, the inner ring is not connected to the outer ring by anything other than tension and friction.
- The outer ring (hull) is, while flexible, fairly structurally sound. The inner ring (landmasses), which nestles within a channel in the outer ring, is fragile.
- The initial setup of linking the segments together and fitting the inner ring into the outer while forming the whole assembly into a circle is /extremely/ difficult and time-consuming, given the flexibility of the entire model.

Shown above are two quick sketches of display ideas I've been knocking around. There are advantages and disadvantages to each in terms of expense, engineering challenge, footprint, stability, and ease of photography. The basic problem is how to form and keep it in a circle without obscuring details. Doing this while laid flat on the plane of the elliptic is not prohibitively difficult to do, provided I have a template or guide for the circle--but consumes a lot of table space and is very difficult to photograph. The more upright it gets, the more work and expense goes into making it stable.

The design on the left is one possibility of how to display it fully upright, mounted on (preferably) a piece of clear acrylic and with supports at the necessary points. The design on the left is a compromise between upright and flat, which could be accomplished with some MDF or other flat mounting board. The ring could be assembled flat, and then raised into position using hinges and a "kickstand" style support on either side, similar to the way you prop the hood of your car open.

This new theme (of my personal creation)
combines many well known sci-fi genres including "Alien", "Halo", and "Star Wars".

In the year 2445, the earth is a thriving planet. However, great war is taking place in the capital city. The UPC (United Planetary Command) has been defending the planet from countless alien races that they have come into contact with. These races all send their armies to earth to enslave the humans and mine the rich ore from the earth's crust. To defend mankind's last hope for survival, the UPC employs the UPC Marines, UPC army, and the wittled down forces of the once great Space Marine Corps.