IS SET 6987 REALLY A BLACKTRON SET?

[Operacion Saturno]

Sorry to drop this bomb to all Blacktron fans of this group, but you have to read this.

The Blacktron space subtheme has been around for practically 37 years and has become one of the most popular space themes ever created. 

Blacktron is more than just Black/Yellow/Trans-yellow color sets with triangular logos everywhere. The theme was innovating and stablished a particular style differentiating their sets from the ones in other space themes with new features and gimmicks.

And this is the point of this post. One of the most iconic Blacktron sets is their largest one. The Message Intercept Base. The base is without a doubt one of the best space sets ever released by Lego Group. However, does the base follow the special features of the subtheme? Does the base include the gimmicks found in the smaller releases?

I wrote an extended explanation of this posture on my group. I have nothing against this magnificent set; in fact, I still have mine stored in a large Ziplock bag. I just wanted to share this revelation with all.

Blacktron of my youth

 

 

[Murdoch17]

It's under the Blacktron theme, and has the logo / colorscheme, thus it's a Blacktron set. Gimmicks mean nothing to LEGO designers, they are just to get kids to buy it / them all. Case closed! 

Edit: Why is the topic title shouting at me @Operacion Saturno? All caps means shouting, after all.

Edited 19 hours ago by Murdoch17

[Operacion Saturno]

8 minutes ago, Murdoch17 said:

It's under the Blacktron theme, and has the logo / colorscheme, thus it's a Blacktron set. Gimmicks mean nothing to LEGO designers, they are just to get kids to buy it / them all. Case closed! 

Edit: Why is the topic title shouting at me @Operacion Saturno? All caps means shouting, after all.

Sorry to burst your little bubble, but Lego themes are more complicated than that. 

According to your statement, If I take a 2x4 black plate, stick on top a 2x3 yellow plate and then I top it with a tile with the Blacktron logo on it, it will be a BT set if I sit a figure on that.

I have nothing against Blacktron, I’m just sharing a revelation with all.

[Mandalorianknight]

3 hours ago, Operacion Saturno said:

Sorry to burst your little bubble, but Lego themes are more complicated than that. 

According to your statement, If I take a 2x4 black plate, stick on top a 2x3 yellow plate and then I top it with a tile with the Blacktron logo on it, it will be a BT set if I sit a figure on that.

I have nothing against Blacktron, I’m just sharing a revelation with all.

 @Murdoch17 is right- it's part of the blacktron theme, it's got the blacktron logo and figures... it's a blacktron set. In your hypothetical scenario, if lego released what you described, yes, it would be a blacktron set.

[icm]

4 hours ago, Operacion Saturno said:

I have nothing against Blacktron, I’m just sharing a revelation with all.

I believe your revelation that 6987 is not really a Blacktron set because it doesn't have all the same gimmicks as the other Blacktron sets would be known as a "showerthought" on Reddit.

Edit - reading the rules on that sub, it doesn't count.

Edited 14 hours ago by icm

[Operacion Saturno]

1 hour ago, Mandalorianknight said:

 @Murdoch17 is right- it's part of the blacktron theme, it's got the blacktron logo and figures... it's a blacktron set. In your hypothetical scenario, if lego released what you described, yes, it would be a blacktron set.

When we create MOCs, we AFOLs usually focus on looks like colors and logos (as you describe) Lego group they first focus on fuctionality. The M.I.B. and Metor Monitor doesn't follows the functions of the rest of the space subtheme. We been tricked.
Good luck trying attach the spaceship included on the Message Intercept Base to the Blacktron Renegade

[Black Falcon]

I honestly don´t understand what the point is if you want to have a discussion about it, to not even write your arguments here. I mean if it would be an other persons text, a link is one thing, but as it is your own, there wouldn´t have been an issue to just post your text here.

But as the others stated it is clearly a Blacktron Set - you have the figs and colours and the set also fits well in the storytelling of the theme. 

If some gimmicks are the only reason you think it is not blacktron, then I am afraid that is hardly any proof - it isn´t like they have added different features in other themes either.

[SpacePolice89]

I would definitely say that this is a true Blacktron 1 set. Even if most Blacktron 1 sets have common design features like modularity there are always exceptions. Not all M-Tron sets have magnets, not all SP 1 sets have jail cells etc. 

[Operacion Saturno]

53 minutes ago, Black Falcon said:

I honestly don´t understand what the point is if you want to have a discussion about it, to not even write your arguments here. I mean if it would be an other persons text, a link is one thing, but as it is your own, there wouldn´t have been an issue to just post your text here.

But as the others stated it is clearly a Blacktron Set - you have the figs and colours and the set also fits well in the storytelling of the theme. 

If some gimmicks are the only reason you think it is not blacktron, then I am afraid that is hardly any proof - it isn´t like they have added different features in other themes either.

 

33 minutes ago, SpacePolice89 said:

I would definitely say that this is a true Blacktron 1 set. Even if most Blacktron 1 sets have common design features like modularity there are always exceptions. Not all M-Tron sets have magnets, not all SP 1 sets have jail cells etc. 

 

2 hours ago, icm said:

I believe your revelation that 6987 is not really a Blacktron set because it doesn't have all the same gimmicks as the other Blacktron sets would be known as a "showerthought" on Reddit.

Edit - reading the rules on that sub, it doesn't count.

From Bijarne Panduro Tveskov himself:  "it’s an interesting theory, and I can follow the arguments. However, it was always Blacktron.. "

Link from panduro.

So I was wrong. 

 

[GeoBrick]

1 hour ago, Operacion Saturno said:

So I was wrong. 

I'm so glad to see you typed that. 

I mean, its the flagship set of Blacktron. No bigger set was released until this year.

[danth]

I would not expect them to incorporate vehicular modularity into a base.

I think the modularity gimmick wasn't a Blacktron thing, it was a Space Vehicle thing. Alien Moon Stalker had it, Solar Power Transport had it, Star Defender 200 had it. It was in all themes, but not really utilized in the bases.

[Operacion Saturno]

2 hours ago, danth said:

I would not expect them to incorporate vehicular modularity into a base.

I think the modularity gimmick wasn't a Blacktron thing, it was a Space Vehicle thing. Alien Moon Stalker had it, Solar Power Transport had it, Star Defender 200 had it. It was in all themes, but not really utilized in the bases.

You are late to the discussion. It's already solved.

 

[Murdoch17]

1 hour ago, Operacion Saturno said:

You are late to the discussion. It's already solved.

 

I don't understand the point of your comment. The question you asked was technically answered before you posted created this thread... it's been a fact since way back in 1988!