Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[MAB]

5 hours ago, thewatchman said:

1- I don’t hate the concept, and the different coloured pillars are a great idea for implied lighting.

The concept and the design/detail put into it are different things. I'm not a fan of the concept as I don't see the point of book nooks but I still like the detail they have put into it even if it has to be a book nook. The implied lighting was also effectively done in Barad-Dûr. 

5 hours ago, thewatchman said:

2- that balrog design is quite possibly the ugliest thing iv seen in a lego set lately. Honestly it looks like one of the stupid mixel monsters plonked into the middle of a somewhat intricately designed set, surely I can’t be the only person seeing this?

I don't really get the link to a Mixel. Totally different size and build style. I think the Balrog is quite well done for the upper half but rather chunky for the lower half. To me the lower half is more mech like, but presumably this is necessary for stability. A heavy mass on narrow legs often doesn't work so well.

[thewatchman]

2 hours ago, MAB said:

The concept and the design/detail put into it are different things. I'm not a fan of the concept as I don't see the point of book nooks but I still like the detail they have put into it even if it has to be a book nook. The implied lighting was also effectively done in Barad-Dûr. 

I don't really get the link to a Mixel. Totally different size and build style. I think the Balrog is quite well done for the upper half but rather chunky for the lower half. To me the lower half is more mech like, but presumably this is necessary for stability. A heavy mass on narrow legs often doesn't work so well.

You don’t think the head looks oversized and cartoony?

 It’s horribly misproportioned, and the solid black colour scheme hurts it a lot considering the brick head version was colour mixed.

 Overall when dealing with a 1200 part set, these issues are unforgivable considering the price bracket.

[MAB]

43 minutes ago, thewatchman said:

You don’t think the head looks oversized and cartoony?

 It’s horribly misproportioned, and the solid black colour scheme hurts it a lot considering the brick head version was colour mixed.

 Overall when dealing with a 1200 part set, these issues are unforgivable considering the price bracket.

I think it looks OK for a LEGO model where heads tend to be oversized compared to bodies. All LEGO figures look a bit cartoony, and that is part of their appeal. If I wanted a screen accurate model, I wouldn't buy one made from LEGO.

[thewatchman]

24 minutes ago, MAB said:

I think it looks OK for a LEGO model where heads tend to be oversized compared to bodies. All LEGO figures look a bit cartoony, and that is part of their appeal. If I wanted a screen accurate model, I wouldn't buy one made from LEGO.

A yes would have sufficed. 
 I also agree that most mocs look better.

[mtrsteve]

2 hours ago, thewatchman said:

You don’t think the head looks oversized and cartoony?

 It’s horribly misproportioned, and the solid black colour scheme hurts it a lot considering the brick head version was colour mixed.

 Overall when dealing with a 1200 part set, these issues are unforgivable considering the price bracket.

Misproportioned compared to what? And being different from the brick head version doesn't hurt it IMO, and in any case is a weird standard to bring up if proportions apparently matter so much...

I think it looks great. On par or better than any comparable sized MOC I've seen. Then again, I'm in the camp that would have preferred a molded version in a play set so take my opinion with a brick of salt

[Altair1]

1 hour ago, mtrsteve said:

Misproportioned compared to what? And being different from the brick head version doesn't hurt it IMO, and in any case is a weird standard to bring up if proportions apparently matter so much...

I think it looks great. On par or better than any comparable sized MOC I've seen. Then again, I'm in the camp that would have preferred a molded version in a play set so take my opinion with a brick of salt

Could not agree more. Would have probably fallen on my sword if it had looked like that awful BrickHeadz :-)

[Lyichir]

I feel like while more figs might've made the value proposition a little better for some collectors, I can't really see where other minifigures would "fit" without weakening the design composition as a whole. Keeping the whole thing focused on Gandalf in the foreground and the larger Balrog in the background makes for a much stronger, more interesting composition than if you'd had to find room for other baddies or members of the Fellowship in the limited space provided by the "book nook" format.

[MKJoshA]

6 hours ago, thewatchman said:

A yes would have sufficed. 
 I also agree that most mocs look better.

Please understand that this is a forum where discussion is the point. A simple "yes" might not seemed like enough of a response for MAB. Please also realize that many different cultures are represented on this site. Some prefer to be more direct while others prefer to be indirect.

[mtrsteve]

2 hours ago, Lyichir said:

I feel like while more figs might've made the value proposition a little better for some collectors, I can't really see where other minifigures would "fit" without weakening the design composition as a whole. Keeping the whole thing focused on Gandalf in the foreground and the larger Balrog in the background makes for a much stronger, more interesting composition than if you'd had to find room for other baddies or members of the Fellowship in the limited space provided by the "book nook" format.

I agree. If this were a playset with the whole bridge so you could have balrog and orcs on one side and some more fellowship members on the other that would be great. But as a display item highlighting this interaction, it would be weird to shoehorn more figs in. Where would they go?

[Black Falcon]

Some people here stated already that they wanted or expected some orcs in this set, but that actually surprises me, as personally I never expected more in it than Gandalf and the Balrog. The Fellowship is rather unimportant to the scene and as far as I remember there weren´t even any orcs there, because all of them fled from the Balrog. So all in all what we got is what was to be expected IMO, though of course the overall design might be a bit different ;).

[MAB]

8 hours ago, thewatchman said:

A yes would have sufficed. 
 I also agree that most mocs look better.

Why would yes have sufficed? You explained using a number of words why you think it is cartoony, so I'll use words to explain why I think it is OK.

Edited May 14 by MAB

[BrickBob Studpants]

I’m fine with Gandalf being the only minifig here as him facing the Balrog alone is part of the iconic imagery, besides there being no real space for additional minifigs  And it’s not like the minifigs would’ve been new anyway! 

[Shroffy123]

For a June release, I am surprised Lego hasn't official announced the set.

[Lordhelmet]

5 hours ago, MAB said:

Why would yes have sufficed? You explained using a number of words why you think it is cartoony, so I'll use words to explain why I think it is OK.

Of all the Lego Balrogs this one is the least cartoony.

 

4 hours ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

I’m fine with Gandalf being the only minifig here as him facing the Balrog alone is part of the iconic imagery, besides there being no real space for additional minifigs  And it’s not like the minifigs would’ve been new anyway! 

I agree with this.  I think adding minifigures (while normally I advocate for them) does not make sense here.  I like the diorama feel with the printed brick and the focus on Gandalf and the balrog.

 

I do think the balrog looks about as good as it could from a brick built model.  The best way to make it even better would be a dinosaur style molded figure.  I am sure there are some tweaks and MOCs that will be good for this one but overall I am very happy with it from a head on view (and probably how I’ll display the book nook)

[MAB]

10 hours ago, Lordhelmet said:

I do think the balrog looks about as good as it could from a brick built model.  The best way to make it even better would be a dinosaur style molded figure.  I am sure there are some tweaks and MOCs that will be good for this one but overall I am very happy with it from a head on view (and probably how I’ll display the book nook)

I wonder what it would look like if it was done like a (small) dinosaur or a bigfig. At best I imagine it would have rigid legs that are articulated at the waist, and similar up/down articulation for the arms and an articulated neck, and up down for the tail and wings. That is nine molded parts (8 different if the wings are symmetric). Maybe better still if they did articulated wrists. At worst, it could be one completely rigid body with articulated wings and arms (so 5 parts in total, 7 if they articulated the wrists).  I think I'd prefer it to be brick built rather than like a cave troll with wings and a tail.

[Lordhelmet]

1 hour ago, MAB said:

I wonder what it would look like if it was done like a (small) dinosaur or a bigfig. At best I imagine it would have rigid legs that are articulated at the waist, and similar up/down articulation for the arms and an articulated neck, and up down for the tail and wings. That is nine molded parts (8 different if the wings are symmetric). Maybe better still if they did articulated wrists. At worst, it could be one completely rigid body with articulated wings and arms (so 5 parts in total, 7 if they articulated the wrists).  I think I'd prefer it to be brick built rather than like a cave troll with wings and a tail.

I think they both have pros and cons.  I think a molded one like a dinosaur (T. rex has jaw, head, body, tail, arms, legs so 8 parts) would look more accurate but to your point adding wings to that would need to change some other part (probably just head, jaw, hands, arms, wings that could move at best - also 8).  This would be the most accurate looking version, but costs would be significant (especially considering the printing on top of 8 new complex molds) and functionality goes down.

brick built gives a lot more function and lower cost, the hard part here is I don’t think I’ve seen a better brick built Balrog than this one (prints go a long way).  So I think we are getting the best brick built design we can (maybe some small tweaks could make it better).  I also think it looks good, I just know the most accurate version would be the big fig or dinosaur style for looks.  
 

I do really like the one we have, there are a few awkward looking angles (maybe because the teeth aren’t black)  but overall I think they captured it well, especially looking at some of the weta balrog examples.

[MAB]

I haven't bought a molded dinosaur for a while. But aren't the T-rexes fairly big compared to this? The Balrog shouldn't be much bigger than a big fig and there you only get articulated arms and wrists.

[Lordhelmet]

16 minutes ago, MAB said:

I haven't bought a molded dinosaur for a while. But aren't the T-rexes fairly big compared to this? The Balrog shouldn't be much bigger than a big fig and there you only get articulated arms and wrists.

Velociraptor is probably closer in line, that one has the head, arms, legs, jaw just not the tail.  I think it could be done that way, but again the pros and cons would apply and the cost would be significantly higher than a brick built alternative, maybe add $50 (what we pay) to the existing set price for the same build and mini figure.  

[Lion King]

2 hours ago, Lordhelmet said:

Velociraptor is probably closer in line, that one has the head, arms, legs, jaw just not the tail.  I think it could be done that way, but again the pros and cons would apply and the cost would be significantly higher than a brick built alternative, maybe add $50 (what we pay) to the existing set price for the same build and mini figure.  

Try new velociratpor this year. 

[Lordhelmet]

5 hours ago, Lion King said:

Try new velociratpor this year. 

I think the new one is too small, I think a balrog would have been bigger than the old one just not as big as a trex.  Somewhere between the two if they had gone the mold route.

[McMurder_them_softly]

I really like the book nook. Way better than I thought I would. Surprised no official announcement still. 

[TheDoctor]

14 minutes ago, McMurder_them_softly said:

I really like the book nook. Way better than I thought I would. Surprised no official announcement still. 

Do we know if the June 1st release is confirmed?

I'd like to be able to plan my trip to the store in advance.

[Shroffy123]

On 5/19/2025 at 1:03 PM, TheDoctor said:

Do we know if the June 1st release is confirmed?

I'd like to be able to plan my trip to the store in advance.

I am wondering too. 

[Lordhelmet]

2 hours ago, Shroffy123 said:

I am wondering too. 

For whatever reason LOTR official reveals seem to be super late but I’m thinking it won’t be out by then, but who knows.  I think if it is we will know by Tuesday.  At least there is no gwp so I don’t need to rush to buy it day one.

[hikouki]

I do not supposed there will be a GWP?