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Q: Where am I and who are you?
A: Hi, and welcome to Saber-Scorpion's Lair! I'm Justin, and you've somehow ended up in my little corner of the web. I've been maintaining a personal website under the name of 'Scorp' since 1/1/2000. I was born on January 10, 1987, in Virginia, USA... and I'm still pretty much stuck here. I enjoy various nerdy activities like art, writing, building LEGO creations, web design, and playing video games (especially RPGs). Since I enjoy science fiction and medieval fantasy more than anything else, I have been working on my own sci-fi universe called Nova Refuge and my own fantasy world called Wylfgard for a number of years now. Anything I do that I decide is worthy of showing to others ends up here (or on one of the two websites I just linked). I am often aided in my endeavors by my brother Ryan and sister Maegan. Together we created Arkanian Creations to give ourselves a better collective name than the Triumverate or the Gibberlings Three (as merry a band as you ever did see!). Some of the stuff here on SSL is actully my brother's or sister's, so watch out for pages that credit them. We hope you enjoy our work!
Q: Why 'Saber-Scorpion'?
A: It all started around the turn of the millennium, when Ryan and I first discovered online gaming. We started a loosely knit 'clan' together called the Saber Clan, which played on MSN's 'Gaming Zone' (which is now just board games, but used to be retail video games also). We often played thigns like Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear and Age of Empires II, but our main game was Star Wars: Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight (JK for short). We got our name from our favorite type of JK deathmatch: the Sabs-only FFA NF NH BGJ (lightsabers only, free for all, no Force, no hax, on the Battleground Jedi map). Ah, the good old days. All members had to put "Saber_" on the beginning of their Zone username. Ryan was Saber_Ryan1. I went with Saber_Scorpion, because scorpions are awesome.
It kind of stuck.
Q: Can you post my stuff on your site?
A: If it's related to Saber-Scorpion in some way, then sure! Just e-mail it to me through the Contact Me page. If it's related to Nova Refuge or Wylfgard, you can post it on the galleries on those websites. If it's not related to any of those things then feel free to post it on my forums for appraisal by the membership there.
Q: What programs do you use to make your website and arwork?
A: Mostly Adobe stuff. All of my artwork is drawn in Adobe Photoshop, which I also use for all image editing. The website was designed in Adobe Dreamweaver and using Adobe Flash. The only non-Adobe program I use is Corel Draw, in which I design the stickers (decals) for my LEGO minifigs, as well as many of my logos and such. My site is hosted by www.aplus.net on a dedicated server plan.
Q: Can I use one of your images?
A: As long as you give me credit for my work and include a link back to my website, and as long as you are not using it in a commercial way to generate profit, then sure!
Q: Where is the Forum FAQ?
A: For questions about the forum, check the FAQ topic in the main board there.
Q: Payment Methods?
A: I accept...
- PayPal (the best option for international orders)
- Cash (US dollars ONLY)
- Check (US customers only, please)
- Money Order (again, in US dollars)
Please make checks out to Justin Stebbins. Cash, checks, and money orders should be shipped to the address on the bottom of your invoice email.
Q: Shipping Methods?
A: All items are shipped through the United States Postal Service (USPS), first-class mail. If you order a book, you should receive an e-mail with tracking information once your item is shipped. However, no tracking is available for decal-only orders. Shipping for decal orders is FREE. All other shipping rates are listed alongside the items. Currently, I opt for the least expensive shipping method available. If you need faster shipping, please e-mail me and hopefully we can work something out in time.
Q: When will my items arrive?
A: Since I am a full-time college student, I currently only ship orders out once a week. I ask that my customers please allow up to two (2) weeks for their items to arrive. It should not take this long most of the time, but sometimes I am very busy.
Payment method may also affect shipping times. If you pay with PayPal, I will not have to wait for your payment to arrive in the mail, so it will probably be faster. If you use an eCheck through PayPal, however, than I will wait for the eCheck to clear before sending the order.
You will be sent an e-mail when your item is shipped. If you live in the US, it should only take 3-4 days for your item to arrive after that. If you live in another country, it could be longer.
Q: Why did I get extra items?
A: I sometimes include free extra decals or advertising material (such as a bookmark) with larger orders. This was probably not a mistake - keep them, and enjoy!
Q: I seem to have gotten someone else's order. What now?
A: This is a rare occurrence, but sometimes I do get things mixed up. If you received the wrong order, please e-mail me immediately. I will ask you to send back the items you received, and I'll ship out the correct ones as soon as possible.
Q: An item was missing from my order. Will you send it?
A: Sometimes I do accidentally leave out decals from large orders. If this has happened to you, just e-mail me, and I will send the missing item(s) as soon as possible.
Q: My item is damaged. Will you replace it?
A: If an item you ordered arrived in poor condition, please e-mail me within three weeks after receiving the item and I will send you a free replacement. If the item was anything other than a decal (such as a book or poster), I will ask you to return the damaged item before I send the replacement.
For decals you may have damaged during application or use, I will still send a free replacement, but only in addition to a new order. Simply place a new order, include a list of the damaged decals in the Comments section (no more than four at a time, please), and then pay for the order. The replacements for the damaged decals will be included free of charge.
Q: Will you sell me your LEGO creations? How did you make them?
A: I made all of them using the vast collection of LEGO bricks I have been continually amassing since childhood (I buy almost half of the LEGO sets that come out every year). The decals (stickers) I use on my minifigures ("LEGO people") are custom-designed in a program called Corel Draw and printed out on label sheets to be applied to the minifigs. Sometimes I cut or glue LEGO parts to make my minifigs (although such techniques are never used on the LEGO models themselves, just the 'figs), but I don't highly recommend it if you can avoid it. In the few instances where i have painted my minifigs, I use Testors enamel model paint. It's probably not the best method though. Don't forget to check out the selection of instructions and decals I sell in my Shop!
Q: Where can I buy some parts then?
A: No, I do not sell any actual LEGO parts - just decals and only decals. If/when I make special offers that include the actual LEGO parts, I will make it very clear that the parts are included. Otherwise, you will have to supply the parts yourself. Personally, my entire LEGO collection has been amassed the simple way: by buying LEGO sets. Ever since I was about 5 years old, I have been continuously buying LEGO sets as they are released. However, the sets currently on shelves may not always have the parts you are looking for. For these older/rarer parts, you will have to search online. Here are some good places to look:
http://shop.lego.com - The official LEGO Shop@Home website. Here you can buy just about all the LEGO sets you find in stores, plus many exclusives and extras! Look for minifig accessory kits if you can find them. Also, LEGO now sells many parts individually and in bulk, allowing users to design their own sets with a computer program through the LEGO Factory page. However, the part selection is pretty limited, especially in the area of minifigs.
http://www.peeron.com - If you want to know what parts are available in what colors and in which sets, check out Peeron, the online LEGO part/set database! You can search for any LEGO set, look at the parts, and see what colors of each are available in each set. Then you can buy the sets you need from another site. It's a good way to find what part names to search for on Bricklink.com (below).
http://www.bricklink.com - The ultimate LEGO buying source online. If you can't find it at LEGO's official site, try Bricklink. Bricklink works a little bit like eBay (only without the bidding), since you are actually buying from individual sellers who own the LEGO parts. So you have to find a seller that looks good to you. Still, you can buy just about any LEGO part and/or set in existence here, if you know what to look for. TIP: The search engine on Bricklink can be very difficult to use, so you may want to find the name of the piece your are looking for on Peeron (above) first to figure out its exact name. If you still have trouble, e-mail me and I'll try to help.
The following are some great website that sell custom-designed LEGO-compatible accessories. If you place an order at any of these, be sure to let them know Saber-Scorpion sent you!
http://www.brickforge.com - BrickForge
http://www.brickarms.com - BrickArms
http://www.littlearmory.com - Little Armory
Q: What kind of decals do you use? How do you apply them?
A: To put it simply, they are stickers. I designed all of them myself using a program called Corel DRAW, and I print them out onto sheets of label paper and send them to you. When you get them, you simply cut them out along the edges (try to use a very small pair of scissors), carefully peel them off of the backing (you may want to practice on the blank white edges before trying on the decals themselves), and apply them to your minifigs. It's that simple! Read on for more details.
All of the decals are printed at maximum DPI on a high-quality HP DesignJet printer using Avery Color Label Sheet paper. Colors are bright, lines are sharp and clear, the paper is opaque (not clear), and cutting out the designs will be required. This is the same decal paper I have used myself for years, although my printer is now much more high-quality, so the decals you get will actually look better than the ones you see on some of my older LEGO creations on the site!
Q: I can't find what I'm looking for! Help?
A: If you can't find a particular decal I have made, e-mail me and tell me what you're looking for. I'll try to point you in the right direction.
If a package does not suit your needs, and you would like me to offer something different, e-mail me and let me know, and I'll see what I can do. I may be able to make a new package more along the lines of what you're looking for, but not always (I will not, for example, sell every item individually).
If you are looking for something I have not already made and do not currently offer, please see the next few questions.
Q: Can you make a custom decal for me?
A: If it's something simple like a color change on an existing decal, simply include your request in the "Comments" section of your order (be very clear on what parts you want changed, and what colors to use!) and I will usually do it free of charge.
If you want a bigger custom job, like an entirely new decal created, shoot me an email at sales@saber-scorpion.com, and we can discuss it.
Q: Can't I just print the images from your shop myself?
A: You mean those tiny example images in the shop? You can try, but the results would be horribly blurry and pixilated almost beyond recognition. The ones you get when you order my decals are printed from the original vector art, which produces prints of the highest quality, with the sharpest lines and clearest colors.
Q: Can I buy your books at a bookstore?
A: Sorry, but at the moment, all of my books are only availble right here at my website.
Q: Can I download your books in digital format?
A: Sorry again, but currently my novels are only availble in printed, paperback form.
Q: Will you autography my copy of your book?
A: Now this one I can answer with a 'yes.' Just include the autograph request in the Comments section of your order, along with what you would like the dedication to say (such as 'For Daniel,' etc.).
Q: Why is your international shipping so expensive?
A: Because USPS Priority Mail International (Flat Rate Envelope) is the cheapest method available for a small business like me. If you can find a cheaper method and point me to it, I would be glad to check it out. I'm always looking for ways to lower my sadly high overseas shipping prices.