Do you think that Alien Conquest is up to Lego Space standards?

[Faefrost]

By the way, I'm surprised at the poll results so far. I thought support for the theme was stronger.

Some of it is it's an oddly worded poll. When the negative answer is "there is no such thing as space standards" it really doesn't convey like or support of the theme or dislike.

I so want more AC, but even I will admit that it really at times felt like 2 different themes. You had the ADU sets, which felt very much like classic space, especially the EDFHQ (best set ever!!!) And you had the Aliens sets, which are a kinda retro 50's campy Scifi thing. They have a certain campy coolness to them, especially if you grew up with old black and white cold war era scifi movies, but they just don't have the same flare.

[Ash]

I so want more AC, but even I will admit that it really at times felt like 2 different themes. You had the ADU sets, which felt very much like classic space, especially the EDFHQ (best set ever!!!) And you had the Aliens sets, which are a kinda retro 50's campy Scifi thing. They have a certain campy coolness to them, especially if you grew up with old black and white cold war era scifi movies, but they just don't have the same flare.

This is pretty much how I was going to respond.... I mean almost word-for-word in some places. It's creepy!

Another issue I have is that outside of the Earth Defence HQ (best set ever!!!) there really isn't all that much to the ADU sets. The little car is OK. Fairly standar with a couple of nice design elements, but it feels more like a space buggy than an earth-bound military thing. The Jet-Copter I just find as ugly as sin. The set has never appealed to me.

I would loved to have seen a second wave though.

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Some of it is it's an oddly worded poll. When the negative answer is "there is no such thing as space standards" it really doesn't convey like or support of the theme or dislike.

That's not the negative answer. For some people, the question simply just doesn't apply (some have pointed out in this topic that there is no "Lego Space Standards"). To see support for the theme, you have to substract that form the percentages. Still, only about half of the people who think the question applies support the theme completely, and I thought support for it was stronger.

Also, it's not that much about like or dislike. It's about whether or not it's up to previous Space Themes.

[josykay]

In my opinion AC is not bad. The minifigs are great and some sets like the truck are fantastic. I really love those "Brainslugs", you can attach to a humans head. They are nothing else but cute! IT is much better designed than most sets created between 1996 and the early years of the 21st century (But those space themes still are superior compared to themes like KK2 of the Lego Castle series).

However it is clearly no "classic" space theme. There are no human ships,there is no space setting... It is just different.

Edited June 13, 2012 by josykay

[Faefrost]

In my opinion AC is not bad. The minifigs are great and some sets like the truck are fantastic. I really love those "Brainslugs", you can attach to a humans head. They are nothing else but cute! IT is much better designed than most sets created between 1996 and the early years of the 21st century (But those space themes still are superior compared to themes like KK2 of the Lego Castle series).

However it is clearly no "classic" space theme. There are no human ships,there is no space setting... It is just different.

Sadly I think we were supposed to get the human ship in Wave 2.

If you look on the right side of the Wave 2 concept art that is floating around the internet you can see a large white rocket with white checkerboarding around the top.

(from Brikipedia)

I also had not realized that AC takes place in the same world/setting and interconnects with Power Miners, Atlantis, Dino's and Pharoah's quest in some sort of overarching story?

[Algernon]

Hopefully, AC's absence will make room for a new, true Space theme next year. No Mars, no Earth, no alien burglars, but true space-fairing LEGO vessels! We can dream!

[sharky]

I didn't really think of AC as technically part of the official Space theme. I tend to group this theme in a special theme category with Pharoah's Quest, Dino, and Monster Fighters. As one theme goes another takes it's place. It just so happens there are spaceships and aliens in the theme. That's just my personal view on it.

[J.V.D.]

I dont think there is something like "space standards". Unless you only consider classic space as the only true Lego space theme.

Though they were maybe not all of the same quality: Blactron was different, so were Mars mission, UFO, Insectoids, Space police etc..

And in the same way AQ is different... with added to that that the setting now is on earth. So while space related it should maybe even not be considered as part of space? Campy scifi maybe?

It has its merrits though, and while the ADU defence HQ is by many being considered as a classic, what drew me to it was the alien side of the story. In fact, AQ is the only new non-licensed theme I did buy several sets from since comming out of my dark ages some years ago.

Edited June 15, 2012 by J.V.D.

[StephanSz]

This is a great theme! I got all sets, some twice. I love the minifigs, the colors, everything :)

The jet on the HQ is my favourite. Very spacy, very high standard.

The tripods are awesome too.

A second wave would make my day :)

It blends nicely into the city theme, aliens destroying the city, love to play with it.

Anyway, 'Mars Attacks' is one of my favourite movies, maybe that explains why I like this theme so much.

[Blondie-Wan]

I do think it's a lovely theme in and of itself, and I agree that it simply does seem to fall into a different category from pretty much all the other original LEGO Space themes, from the "Classic" era right on up through Space Police III.

One might as well ask whether Wild West, Aqua Raiders or Pharaohs Quest is up to LEGO Space standards. But of course it does have a Space connection, and I can easily see its appeal to most Space fans.

By the way, I'm surprised at the poll results so far. I thought support for the theme was stronger.

I don't know how strong you thought it was, but it looks pretty strong to me now, anyway. The top answer alone has slightly over half the total votes as of this writing, and when you consider there doesn't seem to be a huge difference between the top two poll options, it seems to me the overwhelming majority of respondents believe AC essentially meets the "standards" of LEGO Space.

[Greedo24]

I liked alien conquests desings of ships and aliens,it just was not as good as Space Police 3.I still enjoyed the theme though.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Greedo24

[Captain Settle]

I like the colour scheme and how the enemy is the classic interpretation of an alien. I don't like how it seems like it is always an emergency, so there is no time to relax, unlike in space police III. Space Police HQ had a place to sit down and grab a coffee, because not all of them are hero's; some are just people doing their job.

[Algernon]

I like the colour scheme and how the enemy is the classic interpretation of an alien. I don't like how it seems like it is always an emergency, so there is no time to relax, unlike in space police III. Space Police HQ had a place to sit down and grab a coffee, because not all of them are hero's; some are just people doing their job.

Interesting point, and it's actually more relevant than it might seem. Themes like Mars Mission and Space Police are both themes that are centered around a team of spacemen just doing there jobs which, as it happens, involve an alien menace of some kind. It was still about existing in Space, which is why we got HQ sets and such.

The classic 90's sets had the same appeal. M-Tron, Exploriens, Ice Planet 2002 - they all had nothing better to do than survive in Space. It felt like true Space exploration. LEGO's really been moving away from that, and Alien Conquest is the worst offender yet.

I guess in that sense, it's not really "true" Space.