60 replies to this topic

[Klaus-Dieter]

Rick, on Aug 13 2009, 02:06 PM, said:

Finally! Some pictures  

That's a nice collection of sets you have (I also own a lot of 'em, especially the newer ones). I like the little scenes you've set up throughout your town and all the trees (must be very healthy air in your Legostadt). If you'd like to expand I suggest doing it to the left side of the park and maybe replace the lower-left curve with a T-junction (otherwise it is just a rather pointless drive around the park).

Thanks, Rick!
The thoughts behind the trees was to make the streets a bit more interesting and more friendly to look at. Always only everywhere tar bouldering does really look horrible. Plus - like you already metioned - the trees are good for the air.
I think and hope that I'll expand my city center of Legostadt. That's even the reason because of which I'm that angry that we won't get any civilian sets like a bank, a hotel, a grocery, a post office and some other shops in (the first half of) 2010.
The idea with the T-junction is great. In my final version the central station shall be placed in front of the park (in opposite to the cinema) and so of course a road connection to it is needed.

mikey, on Aug 13 2009, 03:14 PM, said:

You have a great collection Klaus!
Your park is looking excellent, and your addition of few 'undesirable characters' really tops it off.  Nice design for the 'compacter', that your Pot Hole Crew are using aswell, I hope your LegoStadt continues to grow!

Thanks, mikey!
Since I do not know whom was complaining about that the fountain should be on a green baseplate I totally agreed after a while and thought that it would be even nice to have a whole small park in the center of the city.
About the "undecirable characters":   I wanted to create my city as realistic as possible - so ...
I really hope that it'll grow, too!!! But this only depends on which civilian sets TLG will release - since (apart from the Hamburger Stall) I already own nearly all older sets I want to (have in Legostadt).

Big Cam, on Aug 13 2009, 04:58 PM, said:

Wow, that's alot of fig's

Great city!

Thanks, Big Cam!
Yes, for me minifigs are the heart of every set and so even of every Lego layout and city. It was very expensive to buy all these minifigs (like the trees and the accessory for the park which were very expensive, too) but the minifigs included in the official sets are much too less. There shall life in Legostadt!

kabel, on Aug 13 2009, 05:12 PM, said:

seven cops in riot gear vs. seven peaceful protestors? what a damn police state!
other than that, it's a rather nice town, it's missing some houses to live in though

Thanks, kabel!
I totally agree with you - some new family houses are extremely needed!!!
I already own the Paradisa villa and another weekend cottage - but I didn't include them in this layout of the city center of Legostadt since in the most of big cities you find family houses in the suburbs.

Btw: Very late but nevertheless - welcome to EB, kabel!

Section8, on Aug 13 2009, 05:22 PM, said:

I really liked your design previously, but the pictures go to show that it is much better when built.  I especially like all the little scenes you set up with figures.  I liked the ones TLC put in their mini-catalogs in the 80s/90s and tried to make my own.  Your construction scenes are particularly nice.  Looks like the wind turbine transport would have a bit of difficulty driving through the city!  I've seen big trucks like those try to drive in downtown areas in real life.  It's kind of comical and the drivers' ability to do it safely is very impressive.

I have a somewhat off-topic question: is your Main Street the 10041 Legend version?  And if so, did it come with the pigtailed black female hair and parts to complete the hotel?   I would look it up on Peeron, but it's down right now.  I am heavily considering buying it.

Thanks, Section8!
I'm glad to here that you like it.
You're right with the transporter: These old grey road baseplates offer regrettably a for the new 6 stuck wide cars to small traffic lane. Nevertheless I use them since
1. I had already bought a lot of them before TLG came with even great looking 6 stuck wide cars - and so I do not want to have a lot of money for now not using them,
2. because the new road baseplates are very expensive and the different versions (straight, curved, T-junction and X-junction) are regrettably not available seperately - and I mainly need straight roads, some X-juncitons, some few T-junctions but only very, very few curved roads and
3. since I simply like these old grey road baseplates much more than the new ones.

My Main Street is the S@H version 10041. It does contain a woman with regular short black hairs (you can see her in the picture with the popcorn stand) - so not the old hairpiece with the braids - but it contains some stuff to complete the hotel. I don't want to talk bad about this additional stuff but 1. you can only complete the hotel when you do not build up the construction side since the pieces of the construtction side are needed, too, and 2. the interior you can build is really disappointing. That's even because I'm so much wanting a new big hotel with a decent interior.


Klaus-Dieter

[BlueBard]

WOOW!   Really impressive collection of buildings and MFs you've here, Klaus-Dieter! Love the way you've combined all the City sets in some kind of mega-set and you've also added classic structures too, and your park is very well done too!   10/10  

[Klaus-Dieter]

BlueBard, on Aug 13 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

WOOW!   Really impressive collection of buildings and MFs you've here, Klaus-Dieter! Love the way you've combined all the City sets in some kind of mega-set and you've also added classic structures too, and your park is very well done too!   10/10  

Thanks, BlueBard!
I first thought about whether I shall put the amazing 7641 City Life set next to the park (in opposite to the town hall) but then decided against this since imo a bicycle shop and a pizzeria don't fit in the very middle of a city center - this is the place for more profitable shops such as a jeweler's shop, a hotel, a bank, a metro station and some offices, perhaps a really expensive restaurant.
Many thanks for the honesty to give me ten points out of ten!


Klaus-Dieter

[kabel]

Klaus-Dieter, on Aug 13 2009, 09:42 PM, said:

Btw: Very late but nevertheless - welcome to EB, kabel!

oh yeah, thank you! i still think there are too many cops in the layout tough, but i guess that's gotta be a bavarian (becksteinian) thing, here in prussia we're more relaxed i guess

as for the houses, maybe you should consider getting some of those big buckets full of bricks, and some of the extra roof bricks and doors/windows and start building some houses of your own, the buckets are obtainable at real for a pretty good price these days

[Commander Flash]

Thats becoming a great town, Klaus. The park seems nice and pleasant, and I like how you matched up all the sets to make one perfect town. Do you plan on expansion? Like adding houses, or even a Lego store   ?

[Matn]

Beautiful LEGO town!   This is the perfect example that with normal LEGO sets you can build an awesome town. This is what I always wanted, but with MOCs and the modular buildings it didn't look as good as this. Everything fits perfectly together. The park looks also good, so do the scenes you have build. Great job!

[Klaus-Dieter]

kabel, on Aug 14 2009, 01:07 AM, said:

oh yeah, thank you! i still think there are too many cops in the layout tough, but i guess that's gotta be a bavarian (becksteinian) thing, here in prussia we're more relaxed i guess

I think that's more my interest in special police things like Bereitschaftspolizei, SEK, BKA, BND, ... which I of course want to have in Legostadt, too.

kabel, on Aug 14 2009, 01:07 AM, said:

as for the houses, maybe you should consider getting some of those big buckets full of bricks, and some of the extra roof bricks and doors/windows and start building some houses of your own, the buckets are obtainable at real for a pretty good price these days

That is a great idea, kabel,   but I never do mix official sets (or models which are built after an official set instruction) with MOCs. I really like MOCing - at the moment I'm working on a little theater - but I really dislike a mixture of MOCs and official sets in one and the same layout.

Commander Flash, on Aug 14 2009, 05:30 AM, said:

Thats becoming a great town, Klaus. The park seems nice and pleasant, and I like how you matched up all the sets to make one perfect town. Do you plan on expansion? Like adding houses, or even a Lego store   ?

Thanks, Commander Flash!
Of course I want to expand my city!
Which shops, houses, trains and vehicles there'll be added to Legostadt will only depend on the offering of TLG since I never do mix official sets and MOCs in one and the same layout.
A Lego Store woud of course be one of the best City sets that could be done!   But with TLG releasing the Winter Toy Shop this year I regrettably see (at least for next year) no chance for a Lego Store.

Matn, on Aug 14 2009, 09:08 AM, said:

Beautiful LEGO town!   This is the perfect example that with normal LEGO sets you can build an awesome town. This is what I always wanted, but with MOCs and the modular buildings it didn't look as good as this. Everything fits perfectly together. The park looks also good, so do the scenes you have build. Great job!

Thanks, Matn!
I totally agree with you that with official Lego sets in non-CC-style it looks much better - plus less money and place is needed and you can look into the houses without having to always put away the roof(s).


Klaus-Dieter

Edited by Klaus-Dieter, 14 August 2009 - 08:09 AM.

[kabel]

Klaus-Dieter, on Aug 14 2009, 09:07 AM, said:

I really dislike a mixture of MOCs and official sets in one and the same layout.

interesting, i#m proceding the exact opposite way, i'm building mocs in order to complement the lego originals, my only problem is, that i still prefer to photograph with an analog cam, so i can't show any pictures of my mocs

[Klaus-Dieter]

kabel, on Aug 14 2009, 11:30 AM, said:

interesting, i#m proceding the exact opposite way, i'm building mocs in order to complement the lego originals, my only problem is, that i still prefer to photograph with an analog cam, so i can't show any pictures of my mocs

It's really a pity that you can't show the pics of your MOCs to us, kabel.
An idea would be to take the best pics and scan them in order to get digital versions of them on your computer - but this would surely be taking a lot of time and being a bit laborious. Nevertheless it's perhaps a try worth.


Klaus-Dieter

Edited by Klaus-Dieter, 14 August 2009 - 10:10 AM.

[TheBrickster]

Great pictures KD!  It's great to see your digital layout transform to a brick-built city.

My first observation is the nice blending of Classic Town sets with newer sets.  Take for example Main Street with the cinema from Town Plan next to it.  You've successfully mixed these sets from two very distinct eras making it look good.  I admire this in a city, as I have many old sets myself, and I add the new farm and other town sets to the mix.  Nice job!  (although I think you should swap the theater with the Town Hall).

I'm also seeing some great sets within your collection (like the old metro parking garage - what an excellent set!).  

I like your park, but notice that it has many more trees than your digital design.  In any case, it still looks good with the Town Plan fountain in the middle, that serves as a great focal point (I love cities/towns with focal points).

Overall, a very nice combination of new sets with old, and neat city for many Lego fans to admire.  Great job!

EDIT: now where's that Classic Train to provide some transportation services to this town?

[Klaus-Dieter]

TheBrickster, on Aug 19 2009, 03:42 AM, said:

Great pictures KD!  It's great to see your digital layout transform to a brick-built city.

My first observation is the nice blending of Classic Town sets with newer sets.  Take for example Main Street with the cinema from Town Plan next to it.  You've successfully mixed these sets from two very distinct eras making it look good.  I admire this in a city, as I have many old sets myself, and I add the new farm and other town sets to the mix.  Nice job!  (although I think you should swap the theater with the Town Hall).

I'm also seeing some great sets within your collection (like the old metro parking garage - what an excellent set!).

Thanks, TheBrickster!
Imo some of the old sets (like e. g. the great Main Street) fit very well with the newer ones (especially with the awesome 10184 Town Plan and the great 7641 City Life set) - so why not combinig them in one and the same layout?!
But of course there are even some older sets which are much too small and simply so that they don't go with the newer sets (like e. g. the old post office which is really too small for a city and which - because of this reason - I'll sell around this year's Christmas).

I haven't thought yet about swaping the cinema and the town hall - great idea! I'll immediately will try when I'm back in my student digs and then tell you how it looks. But it surely will look good since the town hall and the car shop look like they were built in about the same time period. Originally I hoped - and still hope - that TLG will release one more exlusive set with a building in that architectual style so I could add it next to the town hall. And I hoped that we'll get more shops which I then would have added next to the cinema (where now the Main Street is placed). Let's hope we'll be gettting more Town sets in order to that Legostadt can grow!

TheBrickster, on Aug 19 2009, 03:42 AM, said:

I like your park, but notice that it has many more trees than your digital design.  In any case, it still looks good with the Town Plan fountain in the middle, that serves as a great focal point (I love cities/towns with focal points).

Overall, a very nice combination of new sets with old, and neat city for many Lego fans to admire.  Great job!

About the trees: I planed in my digital plan 50 (not to sets belonging) trees - and I even only added 50 (not to sets belonging) trees. So perhaps I counted wrong but I don't see more - with the to sets belonging trees there are in total 54 trees on this layout.

To the park itself: I'm glad to hear that you like it.   Like already mentioned some posts before there is always that much concrete and tar in cities that there has to be a place with a lot of gree for the citizens to relax. Of course it's anyway too small - nevertheless it's imo better than nothing and the center of Legostadt has to include a fountain and a park as central point.

TheBrickster, on Aug 19 2009, 03:42 AM, said:

EDIT: now where's that Classic Train to provide some transportation services to this town?

Sorry for the misunderstanding, TheBrickster:
I meant that next year when we'll maybe get a Public Transportation Center as TRU Exclusive this surely would include a train and then my city center of Legostadt will include a train, too. I regrettably have no place in my student digs to display the Metroliner plus Railroad Club Car, station and tracks.
But my earlier city layout of last year (which includes the Metroliner, ....) and my Legoredo (which includes the Classic Train) include both one train.

Btw: How do you like the wind power plant (at this place)?
(In the final layout which will contain all my City sets I of course won't place it there but somewhere outside Legostadt near to the farm. But for now I nevertheless wanted to have it in my layout since I do so much like it - imo it's one of the best - perhaps even the best - of this year's City sets.)


Klaus-Dieter

Edited by Klaus-Dieter, 20 August 2009 - 10:51 AM.

[Mariko]

I also really like the mix of official sets made into an MOL (my own layout?)

Edited by Mariko, 24 August 2009 - 07:02 PM.

[SalvoBrick]

I really like your town! Everything is in the right style, there is no mix between "classic" style and "modular building" style.
And the grey roadplates are perfect!

[Zzz]

I very much like it! Especially the feel of 80s and 90s, even with lots of 2000' sets.

A few questions:

- do you plan to expand into the country side?
- how do you feel about the creator houses? (4996 Beach house eg.)
- do you also want to buy and add older sets to your city?

And one thing:
You made a good work with your park! You should add more details that you created by yourself also in other place, like for the construction people or so. YOu make a good job in MOCing so far and it will make the city more unique and alive!

[Klaus-Dieter]

Mariko, on Aug 24 2009, 04:07 AM, said:

I also really like the mix of official sets made into an MOL (my own layout?)

Thanks, Mariko!

SalvoBrick, on Aug 24 2009, 12:39 PM, said:

I really like your town! Everything is in the right style, there is no mix between "classic" style and "modular building" style.
And the grey roadplates are perfect!

Thanks, SalvoBrick!
Nice to hear that you like the old grey roadplates, too.   Imo these have been the best road plates til now.
And since I don't like these CC styled buildings (mainly because of their (closed) back walls) I do not buy them and so there are even none in my layout.

Zzz, on Aug 28 2009, 09:49 PM, said:

I very much like it! Especially the feel of 80s and 90s, even with lots of 2000' sets.

Thanks, Zzz!
Imo there mainly have to be older styled buildings in the center of a city layout.

Zzz, on Aug 28 2009, 09:49 PM, said:

A few questions:

- do you plan to expand into the country side?
- how do you feel about the creator houses? (4996 Beach house eg.)
- do you also want to buy and add older sets to your city?

To your questions:
1.
Yes, I plan to expand in the country side. I already bought the wind turbine transport, the tractor, the harvester and the farm set (but which I haven't built up until now) and even plan to one more wind turbine transport and next year the piglets enclosure with tractor. With these sets - and of course even some road plates, a lot of trees, baseplates, plants, etc. - I then want to build up a country side with a big farm, a big field and a coastal landscape with some wind power plants. I already made a plan of it - when I'll have it digital on my computer I'll show it to you here, too.
2.
The Creator Houses look great - but I would never add one to my Legostadt layout. Creator does imo not go with City since there are no open backwalls and no interior included in the houses.
3.
I already bought nearly all older sets I want - so there very supposably won't be many more older sets in my future expanded layout apart from these you can find in my older city layout.


Klaus-Dieter

Edited by Klaus-Dieter, 31 August 2009 - 11:00 AM.

[WhiteFang]

Geez, how did I ever miss this great topic??  

Apologises, K.D, thanks for pointing this to me. Your town display is superb, and I mean it. You consolidate various sets which are my fave, and creating such a strong city park at the centre district is beautiful with rich greenry, You have so many nice Classic-Town sets, such as Main Street and Shell Station, and you even integrated the City Corner, Wind Turbine and Town Plan together nicely into one big display setup.

All of the nice minifigs closeup, are great too, every little pictures tell us a little story behind it. I love it, and it even inspire me to do something like yours. I love how you explained your approach by sharing and discussing with our community. Sorry, I couldn't dropped by early to share my thoughts.  

[Klaus-Dieter]

WhiteFang, on Sep 5 2009, 08:52 PM, said:

All of the nice minifigs closeup, are great too, every little pictures tell us a little story behind it. I love it, and it even inspire me to do something like yours. I love how you explained your approach by sharing and discussing with our community. Sorry, I couldn't dropped by early to share my thoughts.  

Thanks, WhiteFang!
Since I'm not always every day here and since this forum is that big and there are a lot of topics I sometimes miss great topics, too, and only when I'm called attention to them by other members or by chance read them and reply to them - so no reason for excusing yourself.

I'm glad to read that you like my approach to show firstly the plan(s) and firstly after this then the outcome.   I wanted to do this since I thougt - and still think - that it makes more sence to show the plan first and then the layout. Apart from that this method even creates a bit pressure.

Nice to hear that you like the little scenes.   Imo the contents the City sets TLG offers regrettably don't suffice to build up a completely and very lovely and lively city. That doesn't mean that the City sets offers are bad - but it means that an AFOL needs more minifigs, accessory, etc. than the sets offer. So I added a lot of additional minifigs and - in order to make the city center more lively - created some scenes.


Klaus-Dieter

[Bachus]

I really like your town and especially the way you've put all the minifigures in it. They all have a 'story'.

Sehr schön gemacht!  

[Klaus-Dieter]

Bachus, on Sep 6 2009, 04:53 PM, said:

I really like your town and especially the way you've put all the minifigures in it. They all have a 'story'.

Sehr schön gemacht!  

Thanks, Bachus!
Like already mentioned in other topics minifigs are for me the heart of every set and so even the heart of every city. They are the people who awake the city to its life. So be never generous with minifigs - men, women and kids.

Vielen Dank und übrigens herzlich willkommen auf EB, Bachus!


Klaus-Dieter

Edited by Klaus-Dieter, 06 September 2009 - 07:36 PM.

[Legoliner Pilot]

Hi, Klaus-Dieter! Let me start off by saying that your town is magnificent! I love it!  

I think the best part of your town is the fact that is made from only sets, and no MOCS. This would definitely add some challenge to the layout.

I want your opinion on something: what do you think of the building from the recent "Construction Site" set? Do you think it would look good in your city?

Edited by Legoliner Pilot, 06 September 2009 - 07:25 PM.

[Klaus-Dieter]

Legoliner Pilot, on Sep 6 2009, 09:24 PM, said:

Hi, Klaus-Dieter! Let me start off by saying that your town is magnificent! I love it!  
[...]
I want your opinion on something: what do you think of the building from the recent "Construction Site" set? Do you think it would look good in your city?

Thanks, Legoliner Pilot!
To your question: I think that the building itself from the construction site would fit very well. But the transport vehicle and mainly the mobile crane are imo much too huge. Otherwise I very supposably would have bought this set and add the building to my layout.


Klaus-Dieter

[marvinblue]

Hi Klaus-Dieter! Great city, it's good to see some pics of it. I reckon that park would have to be the centre piece of it all. I need "something else" in my layout, so I might "borrow"!   some of these ideas from you. At present I have just the fountain from Town Plan as my centre piece.

Well done on your layout and I hope it continues to grow!

[Klaus-Dieter]

marvinblue, on Sep 11 2009, 01:47 AM, said:

Hi Klaus-Dieter! Great city, it's good to see some pics of it. I reckon that park would have to be the centre piece of it all. I need "something else" in my layout, so I might "borrow"!   some of these ideas from you. At present I have just the fountain from Town Plan as my centre piece.

Well done on your layout and I hope it continues to grow!

Thanks, marvinblue!
And about "borrowing": "borrow" as much as you can   - EB is an AFOL site where everyone helps everyone and so you can of course use my ideas, too.


Klaus-Dieter

[Legoliner Pilot]

Another question- where do you get all of your awesome road plates?


[What is so rare about Yellow Bikes?]

[Rick]

Legoliner Pilot, on Sep 12 2009, 07:54 PM, said:

[What is so rare about Yellow Bikes?]

It only appears in one set (of which I own two, one still MISB).