73 replies to this topic

[Chri5kng]

Sixoh

City Garage is in so many ways inferior to Metro Park and Service Tower.  For one, which is my biggest accusation of recent city sets is lack of roads.  The 1988 set were bigger and had more play-ability.  Who wouldn't rather have a gas station separated from a garage (that actually look like a garage?  Modern set now are just nothing but narrow tall buildings that doesn't offer much variety and play ability.  By combining everything in one, city garage is not one bit realistic.  But asking for road plates along with building set apparently appeared to be too much to ask for.

[lightningtiger]

Actually the 1988 one had the service station built into the car park itself, though I do agree that I asked myself where is the shop to pay for the fuel.....then I saw that the pumps were part of an automatic tankstation....very common not just in Europe.....found some in Canada as well only yesterday.
The new garage reminds me of the old parking garages of the 1970's from Bluebox and you used your Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars in them.....ah, memories of simple times of childhood.
Now your statement saying the new sets don't offer as much variety and play ability.....well the first, take the bank and money transport set - you have a detailed bank with ATM, with safe, with a service counter plus a patrol car and of course the money van decked out with bits inside it and the bank for the crook to try and steal. It's earlier version from the late 80's, though larger didn't offer any other than a desk with phone up stairs, a counter down stairs and a small money van - you had to make up the rest but no crooks to rob the bank.....so the newer one gives you a story to roll with so then you can add to play ability even more. Remember there is no limit to a child's imagination.....I should know I'm dad to a 12 year boy who has a wild imagination !

[LEGO Guy Bri]

lightningtiger, on 28 November 2012 - 09:19 PM, said:

(snip)- you had to make up the rest but no crooks to rob the bank.....

We didn't even get our first inmate until 1993 in 6398 Central Precinct HQ! At least I believe that was his first appearance... So that begs the question: who were all those police after for some 15 years?  



       On the contrary, looking at todays sets, there seems to be much more playability: better designed/detailed escape routes, more elaborate traps etc. As for the new garage compared to the old one, you must remember, the cars are much bigger. They may still be 4W, but they are much longer. This poses a problem when designing a garage, while still trying to keep it affordable. It is a very expensive set and many will not get it for their kids.

      The road plate issue is also a bit bothersome. I have no clue why the went from 2 same plates for $6.99 to 2 different for $14... I thought I read somewhere about LEGO in regards to not including them in sets anymore, saying it restricted the design of the layout of the structure and to keep costs down, or something. I can't remember... actually a quick google and I found this discussion in EB's Embassy about why Roadplates are not in sets.  

[romdam]

That 1983 catalog is awesome! Look at the variety. Read the words; "Legoland Town: The exciting collecting line for building up your very own town." Can you do that now? Nope. No variety like that now. Look at the catalog again. THREE houses. FOUR different packs of road. TREEES AND FLOWERS to add landscaping. Nothing will compare to those days...ever. I have people view pictures of all my sets. "How did you come up with making all those houses?" "Where did you find such a neat main street?" I tell them they don't make them anymore. I tell them they once sold houses. They just can't believe they don't make things like that anymore.

I'm sorry, I just think most of the sets out now are hideous compared to the older versions. Yes, the sets from the 80's are basic but they just have a better look then now.

Try this. Build a town with nothing but town sets from the 80's/early 90's and build one with only sets from city. See what looks and plays better. No MOCs. No modding. 4 wide vs 6 wide town layouts.

[lightningtiger]

Yep, I was right......different opinions from different people.......I actually like both town and city in there own rights. But it's hard to understand why you say the newer stuff is hideous, it's more detailed and more parts/accessories plus a variety of minifigs.....both male and female.
I will always have a place in my heart for sets from the late 1970's.......but I'm hooked on City as my number one theme (super heroes is at number two).

[1974]

romdam

Also, I'd like to point out that it's not a nostalgia thing for me, I'm not wishing for those 1983 sets to return. I'm just missing those type of houses etc from todays catalogue

Modern vehicles are great, they've never been better (at least the 6 widers), but they do live in an odd City with only a firestation, policestation and the robbers hide out

[romdam]

lightningtiger, on 29 November 2012 - 10:24 AM, said:

Yep, I was right......different opinions from different people.......I actually like both town and city in there own rights. But it's hard to understand why you say the newer stuff is hideous, it's more detailed and more parts/accessories plus a variety of minifigs.....both male and female.
I will always have a place in my heart for sets from the late 1970's.......but I'm hooked on City as my number one theme (super heroes is at number two).

Opinion?  Yes.  But read the last part of my post.  VARIETY.  Build your City layout with just sets from that theme and compare them to the sets from 80's and 90's.  Use only what was available.  No modding.  No MOCing.  No borrowing from other themes.  Let's see a comparison of what a "town" or "city" looks like.  And no Creator, Modular buildings.  Town vs City.  

I understand back in the days there was just Castle, Space, and Town.  But if you want to say todays sets are just as good, if not better then days of old, then that is not an excuse.  I believe the topic is variety.

Let's see those layouts!

[lightningtiger]

But the true purpose of Lego is so it can be modified or totally changed (MOCing).....the key is your imagination and if you rely on imaginations of others then what can I say.

[1974]

If that is true TLG should only sell buckets of bricks. They don't. They sell sets. While I can moc all I wan't, LEGO would most certainly not have been the same, nor have reached this popularity if they just did buckets of bricks

[lightningtiger]

1974, on 29 November 2012 - 12:19 PM, said:

If that is true TLG should only sell buckets of bricks. They don't. They sell sets. While I can moc all I wan't, LEGO would most certainly not have been the same, nor have reached this popularity if they just did buckets of bricks

Well those blue and pink tubs of bricks sell like hot cakes here in Oz.
True the sets put Lego up there, but my point is being overlooked......imagination, simple.....take the bank....change it to a post office or add parts from the helicopter rescue's medical suite and hey presto a doctors rooms,
And before the argument begins again about town had more variety than city....well I would say it's about the same for non-fire and police sets where town saw a snack bar, hamburger shop, bike shop, two post offices, a bank, a truck stop, five gas stations and two garages plus a public works depot. Have I missed anything apart from a couple of houses and two medical centres in twelve years ?
In city we see, a pizza bar, bike repair shop, TRU shop, a gas station, a parking garage, a repair garage, a bank, medical centre, townhouse and all in 5 years
So that was around 20 structures for town in 12 years and 9 structures for city in 5 years......so it's about even.
.

Edited by lightningtiger, 29 November 2012 - 12:45 PM.

[1974]

I'm not sure I agree with that comparison as lots of the Town sets were available at the same time. Today TLG fazes sets out pretty quickly

Take a look at the (second half) of the 2012 catalogue :

http://www.eurobrick...showtopic=72566

That's police, fire, mining and not much more. Not a single house for the civilians to live in

Looks very boring. I know my son feels the same ('cept he prefers the SW to classic Space but I'll turn him away from the dark side sooner or later), he just love flippin' through those old wonderfull catalogues

[PsyKater]

So you say there are more vehicles than buildings nowadays and nearly every building is emergency. That would be correct.

Cause otherwise we HAVE some variety:
Fire (7),
Police (6),
Forest Police (5)
Airport (2-3)
Mining (5)
Adventure (1)
Vacation (1-4)
Hospital (2)
Community (4)
Harbour (2-4)
Space (3)
Trains (4)

That IS indeed some variety. But you are right. The only buildings are Fire, Police, Forest Police, Airport and Hospital. Plus some builds at the Harbour and Mining.

And you must not forget the online sets. Like the bank, the Bus and Tram station. And so on ;)

And let me add something. I LOVE looking through my 1994 catalogue. And in the 1980s. They feel

Edited by PsyKater, 29 November 2012 - 03:07 PM.

[sixoh]

I'm afraid this is what's become of this topic:

(Tom the Dancing Bug)

[sgeureka]

romdam, on 29 November 2012 - 11:11 AM, said:

Opinion?  Yes.  But read the last part of my post.  VARIETY.  Build your City layout with just sets from that theme and compare them to the sets from 80's and 90's.  Use only what was available.  No modding.  No MOCing.  No borrowing from other themes.  Let's see a comparison of what a "town" or "city" looks like.  And no Creator, Modular buildings.  Town vs City.  

I understand back in the days there was just Castle, Space, and Town.  But if you want to say todays sets are just as good, if not better then days of old, then that is not an excuse.  I believe the topic is variety.

If 50 sets are spread across 3 themes, of course you'll have more variety within a single theme than with 100 sets spread over 10 themes (of which several are closely related). It's basic math that can't be argued with.

But themes are just names, the scale is still minifig-scale. My Lego town looks great with the modulars, Creator houses and the winter village, not to mention City (i.e. 4 themes). I wished I had today's variety (and money) back in the 1990s.

1974, on 29 November 2012 - 02:38 PM, said:

That's police, fire, mining and not much more. Not a single house for the civilians to live in

Same as above. Throw away the stupid "City" (or "Town") theme title, and there are plenty of opportunities for your minifigs to live, eat and work. Edit: My point is, today's "City" might be considered a subtheme of the former "Town", but that's the fault of the definition, not with "City" itself.

Edited by sgeureka, 29 November 2012 - 03:33 PM.

[Chri5kng]

PsyKater, on 29 November 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:

So you say there are more vehicles than buildings nowadays and nearly every building is emergency. That would be correct.

Cause otherwise we HAVE some variety:
Fire (7),
Police (6),
Forest Police (5)
Airport (2-3)
Mining (5)
Adventure (1)
Vacation (1-4)
Hospital (2)
Community (4)
Harbour (2-4)
Space (3)
Trains (4)

That IS indeed some variety. But you are right. The only buildings are Fire, Police, Forest Police, Airport and Hospital. Plus some builds at the Harbour and Mining.

And you must not forget the online sets. Like the bank, the Bus and Tram station. And so on ;)

And let me add something. I LOVE looking through my 1994 catalogue. And in the 1980s. They feel

Could you by any chance upload those catalogues?  I am very curious and interested to see all the sets in its glory other than brickset.com.  


Lastly the problem I have with City as mention by members here is the lack of road.  Roads used to be 6 to 7 dollars and you get two same road plates, now it $15 for 2 different road plates.  I would be spending a fortune just for road itself and that doesn't make sense.  So we are no longer getting road plates in our play sets yet Lego also charges us double for twice as less road then before.  

I don't know about you guys but the average kids who start his city collection won't have a proper city because of how overprice roads are.  This is really my biggest concern, and I'm not sure how to bypass this.  Do roads ever go on sale?

[romdam]

lightningtiger, on 29 November 2012 - 12:45 PM, said:

Well those blue and pink tubs of bricks sell like hot cakes here in Oz.
True the sets put Lego up there, but my point is being overlooked......imagination, simple.....take the bank....change it to a post office or add parts from the helicopter rescue's medical suite and hey presto a doctors rooms,
And before the argument begins again about town had more variety than city....well I would say it's about the same for non-fire and police sets where town saw a snack bar, hamburger shop, bike shop, two post offices, a bank, a truck stop, five gas stations and two garages plus a public works depot. Have I missed anything apart from a couple of houses and two medical centres in twelve years ?
In city we see, a pizza bar, bike repair shop, TRU shop, a gas station, a parking garage, a repair garage, a bank, medical centre, townhouse and all in 5 years
So that was around 20 structures for town in 12 years and 9 structures for city in 5 years......so it's about even.
.

A couple of houses?  There are a good amount of houses in those years.  Like the original post said, it is about variety of what is sold for a town layout.  Town specific sets.  Where does "if you don't like it, mod it" come from?  That's not the point of the post.  Like someone else said, if that's what the aim of selling Lego is, then why not just sell buckets of bricks?  I love the whole "if you don't like something, change it" comments.  That isn't what this topic was about.  Nor is which is better, past or present.

Chri5kng, on 30 November 2012 - 11:53 AM, said:

Could you by any chance upload those catalogues?  I am very curious and interested to see all the sets in its glory other than brickset.com.  


Lastly the problem I have with City as mention by members here is the lack of road.  Roads used to be 6 to 7 dollars and you get two same road plates, now it $15 for 2 different road plates.  I would be spending a fortune just for road itself and that doesn't make sense.  So we are no longer getting road plates in our play sets yet Lego also charges us double for twice as less road then before.  

I don't know about you guys but the average kids who start his city collection won't have a proper city because of how overprice roads are.  This is really my biggest concern, and I'm not sure how to bypass this.  Do roads ever go on sale?

The price part will happen.  Nothing is close to the price it was just then.  I used to buy the smallest Town sets for $1.99 but those today cost $4.99.  Just the way the world has gone.  Everything goes up in price.  Nothing will cost what it did back then.

[lightningtiger]

Like I wrote before different people different opinions and this seems to be going around and around in circles with off-topic banter, etc.,.
Perhaps a poll should be taken if one wasn't in the past then.....city vs. town ?

[Chri5kng]

Off topic but I was wondering why newer city boat no longer float unlike the early city boats?

[1974]

lightningtiger, on 30 November 2012 - 12:13 PM, said:

.. off-topic banter ..

Yeah, how about just one megathread we're we can talk classic town all day  

I'm not too fond of this versus that, really

Chri5kng, how about you open that thread?

[Chri5kng]

1974, on 30 November 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

Yeah, how about just one megathread we're we can talk classic town all day  

I'm not too fond of this versus that, really

Chri5kng, how about you open that thread?

This may just be me but I don't like having anything in one thread and that doesn't apply to only this forum.  I have ADD and when everything is in one thread, it hard for me to follow.  When mods move my thread to fit in with another thread, I no longer keep track of it.

[1974]

I'm sorry about your condition, but still - this forum has rules and guidelines and a question like this does not really belong in this thread, imho

Chri5kng, on 30 November 2012 - 07:27 PM, said:

Off topic but I was wondering why newer city boat no longer float unlike the early city boats?

If you like all your Town/City questions, maybe you could open a thread called "Chri5kng Town/City thread" .. but if that is the right way to do it, I can't really say. Better to pm one of the mods (Ricecracker can sort it out for you, I'm sure) and ask

I know you're eager to discuss this subject (and so am I), but it has to be in the right frame

Pm a mod

Chri5kng, on 30 November 2012 - 11:53 AM, said:

Could you by any chance upload those catalogues?

You can find them all at Peeron (and loads more, including classic Idea Books) :

http://www.peeron.com/catalogs

And medium catalogues are also easy and cheap to by at Bricklink

Hours of fun .. and nostalgia

[lightningtiger]

Chri5kng, on 30 November 2012 - 07:27 PM, said:

Off topic but I was wondering why newer city boat no longer float unlike the early city boats?

What are you talking about.....I have brought two different cargo ships, two different fire boats and a coast guard boat....they are designed to float and even their box art has the printing "Can Float" !

[Chri5kng]

lightningtiger, on 30 November 2012 - 09:12 PM, said:

What are you talking about.....I have brought two different cargo ships, two different fire boats and a coast guard boat....they are designed to float and even their box art has the printing "Can Float" !

That good to know, I read that the recent 2011 - 2012 boats don't float.  Let me find you that link.

[Ricecracker]

Let's please try to keep this thread on topic...