Svelte Posted June 15, 2009 I think two of the reasons I'm not so thrilled with this set is that the piece selection isn't as appealing and the techniques don't have the 'how did they do that?' factor. Looking at the dark tan wall, it just seems to be made of those 1x2 plates (heaps of which are in MMV), 2x2 tiles (lots in last year's Indy sets) attached to light bley brackets, and 1x2 dark tan bricks (rarer, but in a few sets now including Dooku's Solar Sailer and the Temple of Doom). Again, the bell is nice, but it's just 4 metallic tiles with a gold bowl stuck on the bottom - clever but not revolutionary. The red fire doors are uncommon and the brick modified 1x2 with groove to hold them in place are new in bley but these aren't a massive selling point to me personally. The new 1x2x3 windows are available via PAB cheaply. Dark red tiles aren't uncommon, although with lots of new basic bricks I think the slight colour change from dark red to brownish-dark-red which seems to have taken place last year will become more obvious to a lot of people. After Green Grocer's inventive use of skele legs and bars, using balcony pieces just as balcony pieces just seems wrong! The Belville bell tower looks too light and delicate, and it doesn't have the brick-built charm of the other sets' turrets. I don't see how anyone can think the interior is more detailed either (although we haven't seen the second floor) - compare the brilliantly tiled store of the Green Grocer shop (not to mention the refrigerators, till, and all the food pieces) with the spartan floor here. With all the recent price rises, it feels like this set has been chopped back or simplified a bit but the price kept the same as its siblings . Look at the lamps - last year we had an inventive reworking of the sextant piece, this year it's back to Harry Potter-style lamps, minus even a black disc to sit below the bulb! The other modular sets presented a plethora of pieces in new or rare colours, but apart from one dark red floor, it's mainly bley, bley, bley With a bit of clever bricklinking to supplement a well-stocked parts bin, this feels like something an AFOL could imitate without too much trouble rather than a must-have flagship set of the modular houses line. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5150 Lego Posted June 15, 2009 Is this set really that amazing that people are complaining about the flag and the tree? Those are probably the easiest things in the world to remove. I guess everything has to be criticized >.> People will always find something to criticize. That's just people. Its in our nature. But i have to agree that it is something Petty to complain about considering how easy it is to fix. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Derek Posted June 15, 2009 Whoa! This is nothing short of amazing! Like it has been said, I want to go buy the others just to go with this! All of the details are fantastic, as are the special pieces (tan handbag ) I love the water barrel on the roof, and all of the details on the outside such as the year and flag. However, I am not so attracted to the price. When I first saw it, I thought "Oooh! A small modular building that is awesome and hopefully cheap!" I was painfully wrong. $150. Ouch. I was thinking $90 at the most. Thanks for the news. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffjcc Posted June 15, 2009 Pretty Cool set! I'm with a few others here... not instantly in love, but I'm sure it will grow on me. (of course I'll be getting it tho) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
streifen Posted June 15, 2009 Pretty Cool set! I'm with a few others here... not instantly in love, but I'm sure it will grow on me.(of course I'll be getting it tho) my sentiments exactly. need to get toi complete the modular series. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Piranha Posted June 15, 2009 Whoa thats awesome! We sure need more of those Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr Hobbles Posted June 15, 2009 Hmm, I've been looking forward to this getting announced for a long time, and I feel slightly disappointed. It's not that it's not a great set - it is, it's just not as great when you compare it to previous Modular Buildings. The building itself looks too blocky and plain and doesn't fit in well with the general aesthetic introduced previously. The tree on the front look too skinny and weak, and the spacing between bricks on the top floor looks weird and out of proportion. In fact, the building generally looks out of proportion compared to the previous buildings. I'm also not too wild about the inclusion of the car in this set - I wish they had released it seperately. While awesome in it's own right, it's inclusion has firmly cemented the time period this building exists in. One of the charms of the previous building is that they could be in any era. There's a lot to like in this set, such as the belltower, some of the interior details, and the roller doors. However I think this is the worst of the modular building line so far. I'll still be buying it though! If just to support the modular building line in the future, plus it probably is an awesome build. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YG-49 Posted June 15, 2009 That is AMAZING! The tan pouch, the silver frogs, the sign (under the bell) that says 1932! I have to admit though that I don't like TLC's choice of the American flag. What about the others? I love the use of the clear minifig head on the lamp. I think those Fire Fighter helmets are bronze. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Er!k Posted June 15, 2009 Too bad it is indeed a fire station and I don't like the backside of the station... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Posted June 15, 2009 (edited) I have to admit though that I don't like TLC's choice of the American flag. I agree, but then again its hard to make this universal (however this flag isn't too hard to turn into a Dutch flag ). I would also have preferred a modern firetruck, but the 1930s engine looks very nice from the pictures and we can always make our own firetrucks (although they should have extended the rear entrance by two more studs for my MOC engine to fit in, right now you have only 19 studs). From the description the first (EU)/second (US) floor seems to be fully furnished (fridge, ping pong table, couch). They could have done some more with the interior of the left side of the ground floor though. Compared with CC and GG (why is there no FF acronym for this one?), I find it a bit hard to see where the 2000+ bricks go in this one. I would have liked a brick-built (integrated with the building, not so 'thrown on top') bell tower as well. It just looks too 'fragile' and it stands out too much now. We're just spoiled too much... it looks great. Edited June 15, 2009 by Rick77 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CP5670 Posted June 15, 2009 This looks quite nice, but like the previous modular city sets I probably won't be buying it unless I find it for a heavy discount somewhere. It has a lot of pieces but it just doesn't look very big considering that it's $150. I like the overall appearance of this better than the previous sets in this line though. They had fantastic details but I was never a fan of their "old fashioned" look (that and the high prices are why I haven't gotten any of them), and the building here looks somewhat more modern despite the 1932 sign and the vehicle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Freddie Posted June 15, 2009 It looks fantastic, altough the inherent americanism in it is not much of a plus in my eyes. Still, removing/replacing the flag and eurofying it should do the trick, but I'll probably be keeping it in its original design. Loving the accessories that come with it too, they sound promising. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hobbes Posted June 15, 2009 Nice stand alone set because, as has been noted, it doesn't fit the European style of CC and GG. As many here I'm missing the "Wow!" factor, too. But, more than that I'm worried about brick quality, evident especially in this pic: The light colors are very "megabloks-milky", and the alignment of the bricks is crap. I hope the builder was just in a hurry and he had only bricks of early last year's assortment or older at his disposal. Because if that is the brick quality the set comes with I'd be pretty... annoyed... And this model proves it again: bley just doesn't look like "brick"... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wobo Ihi Posted June 15, 2009 Holy bricks. That is a very, very impressive building. Love the 30's fire truck too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDC Posted June 15, 2009 looks pretty cool. i will buy it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kris kelvin Posted June 15, 2009 Cafe Corner was milestone, Market Street was fantastic, and GG also was fantastic. This set is medicore for me. I will wait for the part list and then will decide - buy or not to buy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ditto Posted June 15, 2009 well, at least the fire station prediction was correct. as with many others. not too impressed with the design of the set. seems they knew that and included unique pieces to market the set rather than the design itself. not as innovative in terms of design like the rest of the modular buildings i think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDC Posted June 15, 2009 I just noticed that all the minifigs have the same face. That classic smiley face. How come? I want new faces! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Posted June 15, 2009 I just noticed that all the minifigs have the same face. That classic smiley face. How come? I want new faces! That's one of the characteristics of all CC-style buildings, Market Street not included, as that is seen as a 'Factory' set by LEGO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJ Force Posted June 15, 2009 First thought: YEEHA! Finally! Pics! Second thought: Hmm, okay... looks much smaller and less impressive. Look at the flag and the stick thats superimposing a tree! Third thoughts: Calm down, DJ. Nothing you cannot fix. And honestly, take a look at the overall details! And what a lovely 1930ies car! Final thought: Will definetly buy this. Marvellous set. A fire station is a Fire station. They always look rather plain and simple from the outside. Form follows function, you know? There is no need in designing a spectacular building for the local fire department. TLG did an excellent job in boosting the detail level of a realworld fire station to a Lego fire station. It looks like a lot of fun putting together, same techniques as CC and GG, same detail level - just in other areas - and an excellent interior design! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CDC Posted June 15, 2009 Rick77 tnx for the info. I really didnt know that since i only have market street so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueBard Posted June 15, 2009 After some hours after the surprise and a better appreciation of the pics, I must agree with all of you saying you waited better from TLC. First: the design is ok and it has nice decorative details but nothing spectacular compared to GG or CC... Second: no spectacular new pieces or useful techniques like GG or CC offered Third: Even if there are very detailed sections (the windows or the roof part) some details could been really improved like the bell tower (I waited a bigger one, like CC), the flag or the tree (ok my trees are not the best but at least better than this poor little nearly leavesless one...) Four: I hope those prices are incorrect 'cause I perfectly remember that one of these 10197 most interesting points was its price around the 90€ wasn't it? I was waiting for the presentation of this set for seeing if it was better than the CC but I think I'll go for the good old one Cafe+Hotel even if I have to build in interior for it Anyway this Fire Station remains an interesting choice and for a lower price I could think at buying it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJ Force Posted June 15, 2009 Four: I hope those prices are incorrect 'cause I perfectly remember that one of these 10197 most interesting points was its price around the 90€ wasn't it? For the piece-count it is the cheapest of all modular building sets... I see no way of getting 2200 bricks for 90 bucks! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueBard Posted June 15, 2009 (edited) For the piece-count it is the cheapest of all modular building sets... I see no way of getting 2200 bricks for 90 bucks! I did not mean that was an expensive set, I agree it's the cheapest on modular sets. I mean it was anounced as a 90€ set and I waited something more "modest" if you want, like MS. Sorry if I did not expressed myself correctly Edited June 15, 2009 by BlueBard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Svelte Posted June 15, 2009 I did not mean that was an expensive set, I agree it's the cheapest on modular sets. I mean it was anounced as a 90€ set and I waited something more "modest" if you want, like MS. Sorry if I did not expressed myself correctly I don't think it was ever announced at that price. There were vague rumours of an additional modular type set at that price point, but I don't think it was ever thought to be this one. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
