Let's talk about: Divers!

[highlandcattle]

I never got one of these sets since I was in my dark ages then. I do have the 1997 catalog at home but clearly don't remember all those sets. I just love the pastel look on all of them. It reminds me a lot of that fantastic movie "the life aquatic with steve zissou" and naturally those old cousteau movies. I wonder why this series weren't a big hit, the boats all look lovely. Perhaps LEGO had a boat/diver overkill with the floatable boats, aquazone and divers. How long did the series last? one year?

Anyway tell me your experiences and tales of these sets

list of all sets

http://peeron.com/scans/?s=0&tid=233

all the sets built (not by me of course)

http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=128373

[Hobbes]

Good topic :-)

I managed to get 6560 in quite good condition last year on ebay, and I, also, think the sets look great. Especially the way they were set up for the catalogs in those "half over water", "half underwater" displays.

The tan baseplates gave the theme sort of a "diving in warm, turquoise, caribbean waters" feeling. That's why I prefer it to Aquazone which has a deep sea feeling. While that would be ok for me I didn't like the sets Aquazone had. Too "futuristic" somehow.

I don't know how long Divers existed but I'm sorry I missed it. Now I plan to let my 6560 divers explore a wrecked Skulls Eye Schooner. Haven't gotten around to set it up yet...

[Kikuichimonji]

I only have the smallest set, 6555. I remember really liking the theme, but back when it was released, I was still too young to buy larger sets.

It fits in great with either town or pirates (as Hobbes mentioned). Lego really needs to make more teams that fit with others (like Town) instead of crap like Dino Attack/2010 (you won't hear me complain about Vikings or Exo-Force though ;-))

[highlandcattle]

A so there is love for these sets. These seem to be forgotten in the dents of time.

`

About fitting in to town, the same can be said for paradisa: the smaller sets blend in with town lego the big sets are probably to much pink. I'm still looking for the icecream stand :)

[xwingyoda]

Another fantastic line I missed because of bloody crappy Dark Ages >:-(

I always loved the sea and sea exploration so it was the perfect theme for me !! It also has that adventure feeling: diving trhough dark waters to "hunt" for treasures !! I love that !!

Especially the Deep Sea Bounty set (6559) with the whale squeleton *wub*

The boats were great !! None of those floating boat crap hulls and they had those cages and retro feel little subs !!

On Bricklink there are 10 listed sets all dating from '97 but I think the theme was produced for at leat 2 or 3 years !!

I really want a revival of those sets ;-)

*yoda*

[Section8]

As a whole, this was one of the most well designed sub-themes Lego ever made. I don't have any of the sets, but I wish I had them all. The undersea lab iin 6441 is very realistic and detailed. The undersea portions of the sets were the best part. I love the whale skeleton in 6559 and the various marine creatures they made for these sets.

[alex54]

I've got the 6559 deep sea bounty set. I would have more of this line but When they were on sell I was too young (so not many money), so after few days of contempling catalogue, I decided to buy it, because it was the best compromise between a good look, new pieces and animals, and the price (6558 was too small and 6560 too expensive!). I was a bit disapointed when I discovered that the red team has more beautiful MF heads!

This line made me think of the Cousteau underwater explorations shown on TV.

The black fish ( I don't know the english for raie) is my favorit animal. I remembered that I took it with me in school, in my pencilbox. So I could see it all the day!

[xwingyoda]

Indeed Alex those rays are sweeeeeeeet !! Its like a mini version of the magnificent Manta Ray 8-

[alex54]

I make the ray my avatar :-P !

[xwingyoda]

I make the ray my avatar :-P !

And I made it your title :-D :-P

*yoda*

[natelite]

alright, now that you have heard of the positives from fans, i'll present my negative views... i was in my dark ages then but this is one theme i'll not miss. for one it is hard to "play" with these sets simple because underwater theme required some form of a dense medium like water. having half of the adventure above water and half under, it's hard for any kid to focus on the story. the only way i can see this happening is if somehow there is a transparent shelf to put the boat on and a bottom shelf to put the seabed on.

i also don't know what is up with lego and colorful themes. the color coordination is not sexy nor cool. set 4888 is way cooler than any of the diver sets. set 4888 has so many cool models it's a crime to get just 1 set if you're into underwater theme. the downside is that many of 4888 models are not to minifig scale. what a bummer.

i think the 1990s was a phase in which lego liked to design rainbow colored themes. have a look at insectoids or ufos or lom. the sets are hediously ugly imo.

[/simon cowell criticism]

[Section8]

the only way i can see this happening is if somehow there is a transparent shelf to put the boat on and a bottom shelf to put the seabed on.

I solved this problem years before divers came out: I just put everything above ground on a table and everything below ground or underwater on the floor. I likedl having things, like ROVs on strings reaching down below the table. I even replaced the string on some of my winches so they'd reach to the floor. Granted not every kid gets a permanent table for their Legos, but anyone could have found one for just an afternoon.

As for the colors, they didn't bug me. I don't think they were bad, but they don't strike me as particularily good either.

[Berry Syedow]

I loved this theme with a passion. I ended up owning three of the aforementioned sets:

Sting Ray Explorer

Sea Hunter

Scuba Squad (Which, oddly, is listed under town instead.)

I liked the yellow submarine the most, but longed to own Deep Reef Refuge.

I don't mind the color scheme at all. In fact it's a pleasant reminder of the cheery atmosphere TLC once provided in its older themes.

[Jipay]

Natelite, as we are not kids anymore, it might be hard to see how to play with suchs sets. But for kids, I don't think it matters. As section 8 mentioned, a simple table could be an island and the rest of the room could be an ocean. Just think out of the box :-P

[highlandcattle]

Did anybody play as a kid with lego sets the way It was ment to be? My horse range was always used as a fortification for G.I.Joe or turned into a butt-ugly space ship.

About the colors . These colors are very realistic, watch one of the Cousteau films and you'll see what I'm talking about.

The problem with modern CITY lego is that perhaps the colors are too perfect like the construction sites and stuff. It's all a bit too realistic dare I say boring ?

[xwingyoda]

My floating hull boats were indeed played with in my bathtub ;-) I had no problems for underwater play in there :-D :-P

As for the colours, I think its great that TLC sticks more to reality than before. However, having said that, TLC should bring back the colourfull and joyfull world of Paradisa or other beach resort theme ;-)

A little colour creativity can't hurt !! Far fom it ;-)

Dive On !!

*yoda*

[ghoulrealm]

i also don't know what is up with lego and colorful themes. the color coordination is not sexy nor cool. set 4888 is way cooler than any of the diver sets.

I would have bought that set if it wasn't YELLOW. :-X

Maybe dark grey or black, then it would have been awesome.

As for divers, the only value in them is what I can salvage for the pirate theme.

All the underwater scenery was cool.

[Hobbes]

Did anybody play as a kid with lego sets the way It was ment to be?

Hmm... I had my knights battle over a castle and I pushed my train along on rails. The train circled the castle and went straight through the battle field, though...

The problem with modern CITY lego is that perhaps the colors are too perfect like the construction sites and stuff. It's all a bit too realistic dare I say boring ?

The new color scheme makes City look like a city. "Back in the day" it was called Town and had more of a happy look...

I would have bought that set if it wasn't YELLOW. :-X

Maybe dark grey or black, then it would have been awesome.

Aquazone had "darker" colors. But the sets were... strange... more like Underwater Blacktron or something...

[alex54]

I don't see the problem with the color. In fact, there are like in real. a submarine for exploration is more yellow than black or grey (like the song says, in my yellow submarine...). And I don't think that kids have problem to play in an underwater world, it is not as difficult than in space!

A pirat ship with a big calmar would be a great set! Maybe one day!

Dream on!

the mantaman

[natelite]

hmm, all very good points. one thing i have come to realize is that i am more critical now for realism than i was when i was a kid. what i couldn't build then i would substitute with imagination.

but still i can't imagine why they substituted classic space with insectoid or lom or ufo.

[Clone comander Nodra 999]

definately one of me favorite themes. Divers was one of those themes that was cool but "real" wich made the more fun to play with. this theme was probably riding the wave that tianic had created a year earlier in 1996. Why does everyone here hate the coloring?

I would have bought that set if it wasn't YELLOW.

Maybe dark grey or black, then it would have been awesome.

As for divers, the only value in them is what I can salvage for the pirate theme.

All the underwater scenery was cool.

Most exploration subs come in colores like white or yellow, if u want black or grey your probably thinking of navy subs wich wouldnt make for a fun theme for 5-8 year old kids (can u say nuclear war?).

this theme was probably riding the wave that tianic had created a year earlier in 1996.

Also i would like to ask the admins if a divers tag will be created? (Maybee that little yellow submarine emblem that they all wear)

[ghoulrealm]

Most exploration subs come in colores like white or yellow, if u want black or grey your probably thinking of navy subs wich wouldnt make for a fun theme for 5-8 year old kids (can u say nuclear war?).

Yes it is scientific based vessels, and that is exactly why it wasn't quite as popular.

I am thinking it should have been a nuclear sub, but I don't see the destinction between a modern military theme and other themes.

Castle has archers, swordsmen, catapults, horse whips, and the new set has a tourture chamber.

Pirates have muskets, cannons, cutlasses, and are theiving muderers

Adventures have rifles and revolvers

Wild West has sabres, cannons, rifles, and revolvers

Space has lasers and torpedos and whatever other scifi weapons you can think of

Star wars has a Deathstar... that alone humbles a nuclear power!

Just look at how popular those themes are!

The city and train themes are popular too, but not nearly as much as those with conflict of some sort, I think?

And regaurdless, I just don't like :-X yellow! X-D

[Jipay]

Well an army theme would do it. I think I would buy every single set. But I am worried about it taking over the lego city theme if it's too popular. I think what makes city so interesting is that it uses as toys things of every day life that you find cool : trains and airplanes, cops, firefighters. You see them and then all you want is going back home really fast and build it with bricks.

I used to do this with all the mechanic stuff of ski stations... Obsessing...

[Asuka]

I am thinking it should have been a nuclear sub, but I don't see the destinction between a modern military theme and other themes.

Perhaps there is a little distinction:

You cannot be killed by ancient knights, pirates, Indiana Jones-look alikes or the Dalton Gang. ;-)

You cannot be killed by Two-Face or some starship troopers too (i hope so....).

But at any time people on this planet get killed by any armies for any reasons.... now and for real and for the sake of god, whatever this means....

Naturally past times were not less cruel, but passed is passed and does mostly fewer pains

than the present, at least for playing.... I may not really imagine that children

in Israel or in Lebanon are playing with some models of tactical bombers or ballistic missiles.

[Clone comander Nodra 999]

Nuclear subs arent to interesting either, no windows, no fun gadgets and the insides are very very cramped. All those subs are are just smooth black streamlined pipes. These subs are very controversial and have killed numerous people over the past few years Like the russian sub kursk that sunk with no surviors or the uss greenville that smashed a japanesse fishing vessel.

IF you realy realy want one bad im sure theirs a megablocks model out on the market.