Island Abbey Maze

On an island far away, there is a strange abbey that forms a complex maze. Those who venture into the maze must travel underground and through courtyards within the abbey to achieve the satisfaction of reaching the exit at the opposite side.

My new maze was pretty fun to make. I was trying to use the design I used for the Chain-mail maze to make a 3D creation, and this is what it turned into. I think I'm getting better at using Sketchup, by using more of its features and designing reusable components to simplify and keep the file size small. Unfortunately, this maze is so hard with the curved passageways that even I can't do it without taking it apart. If it helps, move the top half to the side so you can solve by tracing the path from above and below without going through the passageways.

Anyone who likes classic TV or just anything weirdly funny but clean and entertaining should check out episodes of The Addams Family on Hulu.com and The Twilight Zone on CBS.com. These are my new favorite shows. I also like the Beverly Hillbillies, but I haven't found it online anywhere.

Five-Level Walkthrough Maze

Go up and down stairs to reach the roof of the building. This is a maze you have to walk through to solve, so dowload it from 3D Warehouse.

To walk: Click the Camera >Walk tool (looks like a pair of footprints) and use the arrow keys to go forward, back, and turn left or right. First click on the ground where you want to walk. Pay attention to eye height (should be between 3-5 feet for stairs to work, 4 is ideal), field of view (works best between 40 and 80 degrees), and distance from the camera (keep it close). I've set it up so these things should be ok to start with. As you walk, you can stop and use the Look Around tool to look in any direction. 

Other Tips: Be careful about jumping down where there are no stairs. It may be difficult to get back. Then again, it may be necessary to solve the puzzle. Don't try starting at the end because it won't work. Click Scene 1 to start over. Pay attention to the color of the floor. I made the outer walls transparent so you can "cheat" and look in to get an idea of how the maze works, but you won't be able to solve the whole maze that way.

Cube Maze

This insane thing was very fun to make, but I don't know if anyone will actually attempt it. You have to download the Sketchup model for this one, because you have to be able to rotate the cube and look through the tunnels. I made the sides translucent and color-coded the tunnels to make it more doable. It's tricky, but extremely cool if I say so myself.

Here's an animation of the solution. The music is just something I was humming, which I thought sounded cubish. The yellow dot in the center of the video follows the correct path.

3D Hedge Maze

My newest favorite toy: Google Sketchup. Fun, easy (once you get the hang of things), and free. I've been toying with different ways to draw mazes using this program, and finally decided to go with the old-fashioned hedge maze to start with. I've been to several of these in Europe, and they're extremely fun to run around in, play hide-and-seek, or just explore. Here's my take on an old idea, with over- and under-passes of course!


Go to the center first, and then find your way out to the other side. Remember, you can only go up and down stairs that are connected by a bridge or tunnel, and no climbing over hedge walls! I put little benches in to rest when you get tired. 

If you want to walk through this maze and see it from all angles, download Sketchup or Sketchup Viewer and have a blast. Here's the simplest file, and a more complex one with textures and other features, like a fountain and a tree. (I didn't make the tree, but imported it from 3D Warehouse).

This little video shows one possible route you could take through the maze.

I am also updating my older posts, adding solutions and making sure all the links work so you can see the large-sized pictures if you want.

Corinne's Maze

My little sister Corinne drew this awesome maze a while ago, and I scanned it to put up here. As you can see, she has learned well from the master.