Murrig Icehammer

Eurobricks Vassals
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About Murrig Icehammer

  • Birthday 08/24/1976

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Interests
    Lego, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Pen&Paper RPGs, Movies, Health, Technology, Science, History.

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  • Country
    Germany

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  1. Which would be all themes that would have been preferable. Seriously, it really depends if the sets hit the tone right. I know it's supposed to be for kids, of course. But it's the parents who are giving kids the money to buy Lego sets. (I know from personal experience that most parents don't really care what their Kids do anyways, but some may not.) Which raises the question, how much "grounded" can a theme be, to still be appealing to todays kids* without being right out silly? No need to say that you can ruin every theme by making it too over the top or too crazy, of course. *DO they actually want over the top, totally "crazy" stuff or is this "just" a concept some executives came up with to raise sales volumes even more? On a personal note, i would love to know something much more basic. When designing a theme or even a set, do Lego set designers see themselves more like artists or is it 100% about maximizing appealing to Kids? In other words, is there a line of silliness they wouldn't step over, even if it would raise sales 1000%, for example? Or is there some kind of educational demand (hidden) in some themes (no matter how little)? Please don't get me wrong this is not supposed to be a rant or expression of my displeasure in any way, shape or form. I'm simply curious to understand the reasoning behind some decisions i can't seem to comprehend.
  2. Murrig Icehammer

    Fantasy Funnies

    This series is absolutely brilliant! I've played quite a number of games and most images are on spot. Especially when it's 100 heroes (players) vs. one boss, or the various female scantly clad armor jokes. To be honest i wasn't sure what to expect when i first saw this thread, mostly because i was almost expectig some Batman-in-underpants or Darth Vader-does-silly-stuff kind of jokes. (which i absolutely hate.) You sir, have proven that one can make really funny stuff (and restored my faith in Lego (Humor)) without being stupidly silly. I applaud you!
  3. Murrig Icehammer

    New graphics are in the air - share your feedback

    I like the new one way better, since i can now see the "Notifications" and "Messages" symbols again! The only thing i don't really like is the goofy swim ring batman and baseball playing Vader and Luke. But that just me, it's just not the kind of humor i like.
  4. Same here. As you said large sets are nice to look at, more complex and "better" in general, they are also really (i mean REALLY) expensive to buy more than one, if any (speaking about my person only). As some have already mentioned, i too would prefer a nice castle theme with several (preferable modular) sets. The advantage of this would be that we would be able to choose what set and tone we want to follow (like a castle or village, tournament or adventure for example.). So i think even a smaller line would be preferable over one huge expensive set. (sorry for my bad english today, i hope i could make my point understandable.) For example back the i would have LOVED to buy the turnament set (10223), but at that time it was simply impossible to spare the money for it (yeah, i know it's miserable, but RL got in the way.) Maybe it was a bad example but if it would have been several smaller sets, like the gatehouse (the towers), the auxillery buildings and the joust with the tribune, it would have made much more sense to me.
  5. Sorry to be another person responding to this. The problem with Steampunk is that Kids rarely have the basic understanding of technology and history to make that mental leap to accept such a world (and to see the play of humor/irony or even collness in it...if done right). But i see no reason why kids shouldn't accept something like a dwarven airship, medieval vehicle powered by steam, or even Submarine (oh wait....). Maybe kids just don't like that concept anyway (but at the same time something like Nexo Knights is not "stupid"? ), i see no reason why an older audience should think the same. Ok, i'm not trying to promote some Steampunk theme anyway, but some elements have already been made in the past (like set 7040 or 7041 for example, not to mention various sets from other themes, like ninjago or chima). On the other hand i have no idea how well Castle Fantasy line performed ($$$) anyway, so it's hard to make any assumtions whatsoever. To me Steampunk is already a niche type of fantasy, which can very, very easy look rediculus. So if someone would be forced to incorporate steampunk elements into a Set, i think it should be made very subtile and first and foremost in the right context (like fantasy or Leonardo DaVinci style inventions) to make it more tolerable for a bigger audience. (I can perfectly understand why most ppl. don't want spaceships with propellers or sports cars with chimney, i'm not a fan of such nonsense myself, TBH)
  6. Murrig Icehammer

    My First Castle/Fort WIP

    No gatehouse? (no criticism, i'm just curious)
  7. Indeed! Personally i found that period much more appealing, just for the sheer amount of possibilities! Let's not forget that the knight in shiny armor (full plate) is from that time period too. At least in a fantasy context, i see no reason why there couldn't be Knights roaming the land doing quests and fighting dragons and so on. (Let's just assume that firearms never become powerful enough to make heavy armor pointless )
  8. Murrig Icehammer

    Survey: New parts and new colors

    As a Castle fan and generally interested in history, i'd really love to have a big Zweihander styled sword/polearm (same size as a spear). (I'm sorry for the blurry image, i know i need to buy a better camera )
  9. Personally speaking, i think the complexity of single sets isn't that important. Sure it'd be nice to see some nice 16+ castle sets, but since i'm building things on my own anyway, that's not on my personal priority list. What is most important to me would be the tone and length of a new castle line. Again i'm only speaking for myself, but i would much more prefer a more toned down and more down to earth feeling castle line (the opposite to what we have right now). What i really would love to see would be a revival of the fantasy theme with all the new accessories we have now thanks to LotR (like the various new LotR based helmets, horses and let's not forget the wonderful looking Knight great helmet or the neat looking LotR swords). Maybe shifting the main human faction from the classic medieval times to very early renaissance (ca. 1500). This would open up many new possibilities like very big cannons or even ships (thinking about early explorers like magellan, or even pirates like Drake but in a low toned fantasy setting). It could even be combined with a Lego Pirates theme. Of course other races like classic fantasy elves, dwarves and orcs should not be forgotten. I think fantasy era (2007 onwards) had the best approach for a non licensed dwarf/orc faction. Altough Dwarves could be made a bit more steampunk-ish (mabye similar to ninjago), while elves could be made more nature focussed with towers and fortesses integrated or resembling giant trees and so on. There could be centaurs roaming the plains or something different, like a race of plant based beings or lizard-like beings like argonians or cat like Khajiit (both from the elder scrolls series). There could be even some vikings again! Orcs could be done with a bigger and more muscular looking torso mold to make them look more massive (think of WoWs orcs). So many possibilities... Another theme i'd love to see would be a Lego castle theme centered around life in a medieval city (thinking something in the spirit of the "1400: the guild" game series). Altough it is not about team red vs blue, it could still contain enough conflict to be exciting for kids (like city guards vs thieves guild or an outside threat). But the main theme would be to recreate a functionally medieval city including a tavern, city hall, blacksmith and so on, being even somwewhat educational. I think a age of 12 or 16+ would be ideal for this. (At least more suited for kids than a GoT adaption which would be tonally totally off the mark IMO.)
  10. Yeah, i read the same back then and i think it is a shame they didn't continue it through 2009-10 at least. I have no numbers or other information about the sales profitability of fantasy era line, so i can't say anything about it. But some executive must have come to the opinion that stopping (fantasy) castle line in favour of something like Nexo Knights would be a good idea. Please don't get a wrong impression, i still LOVE fantasy era Castle and vikings, i just try to get behind the logic of this. Really amazing! It really shows that with a little bit of imagination the already existing castle lines could get combined and also elevated to a new level. Now imagine TLG would start a new semi fantasy Castle theme introducing one big main faction at the beginning. Each year they could expand that established world with another small faction, but keep producing new sets for the original faction too. The sets could consist of the usual military/knightly themes, but also civilian and even some supernatural/fantasy elements. Every few years they could add a additional big faction to that world. Similar like they did with the fantasy line back then. The advantage for TLG would be that all sets would keep being relevant over years, there could even be a TV series, books and so on. The tone of that world would be radically different than the over the top Nexo Knights, the Lego Movie or even ninjago, which in turn would also be a much higher risk. Its success would highly depend on the quality of the TV series/Movies and the general presentation. It could even have a educational angle of some sort about history and living in such a world. But since over the top and chaotic "funny" themes are more popular (and less risky), i see little hope for even something remotely like this becoming real.
  11. If fully agree with you. But i also think that with the success of things like the Lego Movie, they wanted to have something that would be just as over the top like it. Maybe they where afraid that kids would find a classic castle theme would be too underwhelming or even boring, who knows? Maybe it was easier to create a TV show from something like Nexo Knights than a more realisitc or better said "grounded" castle theme. Just look at Ninjago which also has some sci fi elements, which is very much appealing to kids. I would have preferred a theme with Samurai and Ninja in medieval Japan, even as a kid. I don't have any numbers, but to me it seems like some executives just wanted to play safe. A hip mix of themes instead of a more conventional castle theme seems to be much more appealing to kids (at least to TLG). Maybe i'm wrong. I really don't know, but to me it is just that policy of maximizing profits (do anything to appeal to kids. Include anything that is hip or pop culture, blah blah blah) which i really dislike. I would very much like to have them do the exact opposite. Just have a neat little castle line of four or more sets each year, disconnected from the other licensed stuff. Don't restart it every 3 years, instead keep that world growing and have one or two civilian sets each year. Maybe add a new (small) faction each year (which doesn't have to be another kingdom. Some bandits or mercenaries would be alright too), but keep expanding the main faction with new and original sets.
  12. I think that classic castle themes (including fantasy) where not profitable, but something like Nexo Knights is probably just MORE profitable and/or less risky.
  13. I can only speak for myself, but to me the problem with Nexo knights is HOW both elements are mixed. You can very well do a well rounded fantasy- scifi mix that doesn't come across like made by a hyperactive kid. (sorry for the lack of better words to describe it.) Some people previously mentioned Playmobil in contrast to Lego Castle, which is a perfect example to show what i miss since Lego doesn't have a castle theme anymore. Unlike Lego sets, Playmobil sets are charming and ageless. Also, they don't run a thousand licensed themes at once and still, they manage to create nice and affordable sets. I just wish Lego and Playmobil where compatible... My dark age ended in 2008 (i belive) just when Castle fantasy started. Back then there where still lots of Viking sets availlable which was a absolutley glorious time for me to start getting back to Lego! A few years later i had a mini dark age, but when i came back i was seriously shocked to learn that Lego skipped Lego Castle in favour of something like Nexo knights. Don't get me wrong, i don't hate Nexo Knights. I simply have no interest in it whatsoever. To me it is just sad that there was no decent continuation of the castle line.
  14. Murrig Icehammer

    Lego and Depression

    That's very true. Professional help is a matter of course. I have also a sufferd from depression since i was a child. While it surely won't cure it, i have made the experience that playing with lego and being creative in general can help to lessen the effects. It may sound funny, but i found out that actually playing (not building, i mean really playing) actually helped me even more. Of course as a adult, my imagination is not as grand as it was when i was a child, but there are some tricks to get around that (like using dice or a simple sheet paper with ideas). Just don't let other ppls. conventions dictate how to do things. (I hope this makes sense to you. ) But in the end i think everyone needs to find out what works best.
  15. Murrig Icehammer

    My First Castle/Fort WIP

    Looks promising!