Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[Cyprinus]

1 hour ago, MAB said:

If the exterior is shaped as the city but the interior is a room, then it will be poor compared to a minifigure based set without the constraint that it has to fit into an upturned cone.

Minas Tirith doesn't exactly have much in the way of interiors that would need to be done though...

[MAB]

38 minutes ago, Cyprinus said:

Minas Tirith doesn't exactly have much in the way of interiors that would need to be done though...

Indeed. If they want a microscale city, then do a microscale city. If they want minifigures then either do them on a display stand or do minifigure scale instead of microscale. Adding in minifigure scale play features to the back of a microscale set will end up the worst of both worlds.

[GeoBrick]

11 hours ago, MAB said:

If the exterior is shaped as the city but the interior is a room, then it will be poor compared to a minifigure based set without the constraint that it has to fit into an upturned cone.

Depends how much of the city's backdrop mountain the developers put in the design. It is a mountain range after all, with alot of depth if you want.

[KristinnK]

10 hours ago, MAB said:

Indeed. If they want a microscale city, then do a microscale city. If they want minifigures then either do them on a display stand or do minifigure scale instead of microscale. Adding in minifigure scale play features to the back of a microscale set will end up the worst of both worlds.

As much as I hate seeing the bad side of things, I fear this is the truth. By doing both they both they satisfy neither the people that want a microscale display piece and don't need minifigures or minifig scale builds on the rear side that no-one will ever see, nor those that just want a minifig scale set and hate the idea of microscale.

They should have chosen either one or the other. It would have alienated fewer buyers, and it would have left them the option to release a second set later on. Doing both simply makes the set too expensive, limiting the number of potential buyers.

[Yoggington]

This would want to be one hell of a set to justify me dropping €650 on it. That is more than half my annual Lego budget. 

For that amount, you could buy the entire City January wave TWICE.

[Black Falcon]

14 hours ago, MAB said:

If the exterior is shaped as the city but the interior is a room, then it will be poor compared to a minifigure based set without the constraint that it has to fit into an upturned cone.

Check the shape of Barad-Dur, which (of course in another style, size etc.) has also a shape that is somewhat similar to what we would expect from the city - and there they had no problems to fit intererior inside and to me doesn´t look poor executed either.

12 hours ago, MAB said:

Indeed. If they want a microscale city, then do a microscale city. If they want minifigures then either do them on a display stand or do minifigure scale instead of microscale. Adding in minifigure scale play features to the back of a microscale set will end up the worst of both worlds.

I still disagree here. And especially with your last point. You can take the best of both worlds and sure, at some point it will influence design decisions and there will be compromisses needed. But first of all especially for the outside of the city I doubt that there are even any major changes needed and secondly, there are always pros and cons while you are just seeing the cons it seems ;).

1 hour ago, KristinnK said:

As much as I hate seeing the bad side of things, I fear this is the truth. By doing both they both they satisfy neither the people that want a microscale display piece and don't need minifigures or minifig scale builds on the rear side that no-one will ever see, nor those that just want a minifig scale set and hate the idea of microscale.

They should have chosen either one or the other. It would have alienated fewer buyers, and it would have left them the option to release a second set later on. Doing both simply makes the set too expensive, limiting the number of potential buyers.

I doubt that is actually true. I am not going to say it would cost the same with the stuff added on the back but I don´t actually think that it really adds that much cost compared to the overall price of the set anyways. I mean, it isn´t like the build would just be empty in the back then, but all the empty room would have been probably been filled with more structure to make the build stable etc. Then you would need pieces for the minifig-stand.

This discussion makes me really wonder, with Barad-Dûr already around, how many people, knowing how it looks now, would actually rather prefer a Minifigure-Scale or Microscale version of it rather than the actual Set?

[HarryPotter27]

I don't think it's gonna be a microscale style like one of those architecture sets, but something much more similar to how they executed the Barad-Dûr, and I think everybody loves it. They can try to fit the figures on the top levek and probably around the main gate (since we have 4 soldiers), then they can go microscale for layering. I think it's gonna be a very hard set to execute, and I hope the designer who got assigned to it does a similar level of perfection to Rivendell and not some of the lackluster builds of the Shire set. Also, a true microscale set totally wouldn't fit with the line of sets we have so far.

[hikouki]

2 hours ago, KristinnK said:

As much as I hate seeing the bad side of things, I fear this is the truth. By doing both they both they satisfy neither the people that want a microscale display piece and don't need minifigures or minifig scale builds on the rear side that no-one will ever see, nor those that just want a minifig scale set and hate the idea of microscale.

They should have chosen either one or the other. It would have alienated fewer buyers, and it would have left them the option to release a second set later on. Doing both simply makes the set too expensive, limiting the number of potential buyers.

Lego needs to keep looking back to the success that they had with Rivendell. It is only a section but contained important scenes and locations. And it is minifig scale. Being enough that you don't really need it to be micro scale.

25 minutes ago, Yoggington said:

This would want to be one hell of a set to justify me dropping €650 on it. That is more than half my annual Lego budget. 

For that amount, you could buy the entire City January wave TWICE.

Yes, it better be worth it. And again I point out how Rivendell's shelf life has gotten extended. I don't mind the price if it justifies the excellent design.

18 minutes ago, Black Falcon said:

Check the shape of Barad-Dur, which (of course in another style, size etc.) has also a shape that is somewhat similar to what we would expect from the city - and there they had no problems to fit intererior inside and to me doesn´t look poor executed either.

...

This discussion makes me really wonder, with Barad-Dûr already around, how many people, knowing how it looks now, would actually rather prefer a Minifigure-Scale or Microscale version of it rather than the actual Set?

They designed and executed Barad-dur quite well. It has the best of both worlds. Minas Tirith interiors might end up being so cramped, given how big the structure is, and even micro scale is limited in capturing it.

2 minutes ago, HarryPotter27 said:

I don't think it's gonna be a microscale style like one of those architecture sets, but something much more similar to how they executed the Barad-Dûr, and I think everybody loves it. They can try to fit the figures on the top levek and probably around the main gate (since we have 4 soldiers), then they can go microscale for layering. I think it's gonna be a very hard set to execute, and I hope the designer who got assigned to it does a similar level of perfection to Rivendell and not some of the lackluster builds of the Shire set. Also, a true microscale set totally wouldn't fit with the line of sets we have so far.

On the one hand, it is a difficult task, but at the same time, Lego has had years to figure this out. Many have called for Minas Tirith since Rivendell came out.

[mirkwoodspiders]

3 hours ago, HarryPotter27 said:

I don't think it's gonna be a microscale style like one of those architecture sets, but something much more similar to how they executed the Barad-Dûr, and I think everybody loves it. They can try to fit the figures on the top levek and probably around the main gate (since we have 4 soldiers), then they can go microscale for layering. I think it's gonna be a very hard set to execute, and I hope the designer who got assigned to it does a similar level of perfection to Rivendell and not some of the lackluster builds of the Shire set. Also, a true microscale set totally wouldn't fit with the line of sets we have so far.

This. Minifig scale for the entire city is obviously untenable.

Minifig scale for a portion, a la Rivendell, I do not think makes sense either - the contexts are entirely different. Rivendell as a whole is not as much of a focus in the films as are its individual components. I think Minas Tirith, on the other hand, is visually appealing primarily as a whole. The entire facade gets so many camera shots, and rightly so, more so than its individual components. So, I don't think minifig scale for a portion of Minas Tirith would be as welcome as it was for Rivendell because you'd be losing the essential thing that makes Minas Tirith cool - the entire facade.

I am expecting something similar to Barad-Dur, which I consider a success.

[Artanis I]

I'm with those that think Minas Tirith should follow the micro/mini combo style that Barad Dur uses.

 

9 hours ago, hikouki said:

Many have called for Minas Tirith since Rivendell came out.

Since Helm's Deep came out

 

[Blazej_Holen]

Just now, Artanis I said:

I'm with those that think Minas Tirith should follow the micro/mini combo style that Barad Dur uses.

 

Since Helm's Deep came out

 

Since LoTR came out as a theme back in 2012 ;)

[Artanis I]

Exactly

[Cyprinus]

10 hours ago, hikouki said:

Lego needs to keep looking back to the success that they had with Rivendell. It is only a section but contained important scenes and locations. And it is minifig scale. Being enough that you don't really need it to be micro scale.

Rivendell is vastly different from Minas Tirith (or Barad-Dur for that matter) in that the look of the location as a whole is far less iconic than individual scenes playing out there. MT is the exact opposite - all the scenes playing out there are nowhere near as iconic as the city as a whole. Lego definately doesn't want to skip that. And how do you propose an amalgamation of scenes would look like? A scaled down courtyard of the white tree, with some facades in the back and a tiny bit of wall with a gate right below it? Don't think that would look great...

[kuzyabricks]

On 12/23/2025 at 5:07 PM, hikouki said:

IIRC, Lego was studying the idea of releasing Rivendell as a micro scale build. I thought I saw a study design somewhere. And I think the rumors were quite consistent about it being a micro build. Then very close to when it was announced, it became a mini fig-scale build with some minifigs galore.

Perhaps there is some hope this may end up being a large section of Minas Tirith, and is all in minifig scale???

Rivendell was never rumoured to be microscale. Yes the design team considered it but as a leak it was never microscale. Mostly people in here being doomers as usual))

On 12/24/2025 at 5:01 AM, MAB said:

Indeed. If they want a microscale city, then do a microscale city. If they want minifigures then either do them on a display stand or do minifigure scale instead of microscale. Adding in minifigure scale play features to the back of a microscale set will end up the worst of both worlds.

Hard disagree. Barad Dur did an amazing job at both

 

Two things I have been thinking about. 

1. I don't think we have the full figure list. I was an adamant critic of the original black pearl rumour that featured no barbossa, come on now how ridiculous would that have been! Then pintel got added to the list and then removed. Because of this I am hesitant to criticize the current figure line up.

2. Microscale exterior, minifigure interior is perfect. Rivendell is a very unique scenario that isn't limited in the ways barad dur and minis tirith are limited. Barad dur was an amazingly fun set with the play features being really cool and I still mess around with them quite often. The play feature in the Shire is also very neat and fun. A microscale display would be INCREDIBLY boring. Wow what a waste of a set it would be. Interiors and seeing the figures interact with the sets adds so much charm and character. Makes me very glad they are going with this approach and not a boring microscale build that has honestly made lego star wars very very bland. Here's to helms deep to next year!

[MAB]

On 12/25/2025 at 12:11 AM, Black Falcon said:

Check the shape of Barad-Dur, which (of course in another style, size etc.) has also a shape that is somewhat similar to what we would expect from the city - and there they had no problems to fit intererior inside and to me doesn´t look poor executed either.

 

Barad-Dur is a tower, and I expect there to be rooms inside. The scale is different and they make it feel like Barad-Dur is smaller than it is by including figures and a few rooms inside but it still kind of works.

Whereas Minas Tirith has buildings on the mountain and I don't expect a secret lair hidden inside a hollowed out mountain. That is why combining both scales in this case doesn't work for me.

 

The minifigure scenes I want to see for Minas Tirith are pretty much all outside. Very little of interest happens inside the buildings, and definitely not inside the mountain. Whereas Barad-Dur is only seen from a distance in the movies so the interior is unknown and they are relatively free to make stuff up. Very little happens just outside either so they don't miss anything. I dontbthink Minas Turuth and Barad-Dur are really comparable when it comes to creating LEGO sets. Rivendell and Minas Tirith are more comparable.

Edited December 26, 2025 by MAB

[sahidko]

And yet both Minas Tirith Ideas projects that got 10k votes went the way of minifig interior from the back. I just don't see why would Lego designers do something else (if it's not fully microscale).

[MKJoshA]

I just finished building Barad-Dur last week and I think the design choice really works for it. I have confidence they can pull off the same with Minas Tirith. 

[Black Falcon]

6 hours ago, MAB said:

The minifigure scenes I want to see for Minas Tirith are pretty much all outside. Very little of interest happens inside the buildings, and definitely not inside the mountain. Whereas Barad-Dur is only seen from a distance in the movies so the interior is unknown and they are relatively free to make stuff up. Very little happens just outside either so they don't miss anything. I dontbthink Minas Turuth and Barad-Dur are really comparable when it comes to creating LEGO sets. Rivendell and Minas Tirith are more comparable.

Well, but then they could have done a 1st Gate of Minas Thirith Set, with the gate and some walls left an right, and maybe with Gond and some minifigures it would even be recognizable. But I still doubt that is what many people would have wanted - even though it surely wouldn´t be a unpopular set. All the popular places in the city are way to wide from each other, not to mention half of them are actually not even in the city at all, whereas with Rivendell the most important locations could be better mashed into one set, so I would still argue that MinasTirith is more comparable to Barad-Dûr.

[kuzyabricks]

10 hours ago, MAB said:

Barad-Dur is a tower, and I expect there to be rooms inside. The scale is different and they make it feel like Barad-Dur is smaller than it is by including figures and a few rooms inside but it still kind of works.

Whereas Minas Tirith has buildings on the mountain and I don't expect a secret lair hidden inside a hollowed out mountain. That is why combining both scales in this case doesn't work for me.

 

The minifigure scenes I want to see for Minas Tirith are pretty much all outside. Very little of interest happens inside the buildings, and definitely not inside the mountain. Whereas Barad-Dur is only seen from a distance in the movies so the interior is unknown and they are relatively free to make stuff up. Very little happens just outside either so they don't miss anything. I dontbthink Minas Turuth and Barad-Dur are really comparable when it comes to creating LEGO sets. Rivendell and Minas Tirith are more comparable.

I’m sure the designers that pulled off Rivendell and barad dur can easily pull this off. Even the shire being the weakest is still a great set with a bad price.

[Virginia_Bricks]

1 hour ago, kuzyabricks said:

I’m sure the designers that pulled off Rivendell and barad dur can easily pull this off. Even the shire being the weakest is still a great set with a bad price.

Besides the side tree. I get why they included it, but hard to do that well without hundreds of small pieces

[Roebuck]

12 hours ago, kuzyabricks said:

I’m sure the designers that pulled off Rivendell and barad dur can easily pull this off. Even the shire being the weakest is still a great set with a bad price.

It is different designers on all 3 sets I think, but the ones they put on this is probably up to the task 

[Blazej_Holen]

9 hours ago, Roebuck said:

It is different designers on all 3 sets I think, but the ones they put on this is probably up to the task 

O hope that Mike Psiaki is involved in MT set. It would be great if he lead the team with Milan Madge and wes Talbott :) Those are current elite fantasy/castle designers. 
 
The designer of the Shire set was beginner, the Shire was his debut and it came out as mixed bag… (End) ;) 

[kuzyabricks]

9 hours ago, Roebuck said:

It is different designers on all 3 sets I think, but the ones they put on this is probably up to the task 

Oh oops thought Rivendell and Barad Dur had similar designers slipped my mind.

[HarryPotter27]

Hoping for the same, I think the Shire is a good set in terms of minifigures, gwp, textiles, and printed tiles, but the build itself looks like a child attempted to recreate the iconic location. I think certain angles look very rough, and the trees are horrible. As a whole, the set has a great enthusiasm, and it's fun, but it lacks the polish, and I feel a different designer could have executed it way better.

Edited December 27, 2025 by HarryPotter27

[Lordhelmet]

Just built Neuschwanstein and it made me excited for minis tirith, I am hoping and expect it to look awesome.  Hoping for a bunch of printed parts like Rivendell had to capture windows or details.