A Base Plate Question

[bullet8542]

I'm sorry if this has been asked or answered (Couldn't find anything specific in search) But why has lego done away with city buildings and adventure themes that use to come with a base plate dessert. road, stream etc.

As a kid I always loved the fact I could put several plates together and have a starting of a town or adventure.

Just curious I understand costs and the like but it's not as if Lego is a bargain priced toy.

Any thoughts?

[lightningtiger]

Ah, simple I think it's to make more money.

Just look at last year's police station, it didn't come with old school road-ish base plates, but large plates to form the build bases.

[alois]

I think most of those special plates fell victim to the overall reduction of parts in the early 2000's, when Lego almost went bankrupt.

[Captain Braunsfeld]

I can just state THAT they don't do them anymore. Can't say WHY...

[bullet8542]

Thanks, I just took a tour of my local Toys R Us and I guess I seem underwhelmed by this years offerings, Arctic (Done before different color) Coast Guard (Didn't do well) and the assortment of vehicle's.

I know they target Lego to kids and not us AFOL's but I guess I just miss the "Good O'l days" when instructions gave you multiple idea's, Idea books etc. I mean I see a lot of detail in some components of larger sets with "Filler" parts (How many helicopters can anyone have?) I looked long and hard today at the "Deluxe" set for the Arctic theme and tons of detail for the "Lab" and the rest looks like it was all after thought.

Maybe it's just me, Of course none of this stops me from buying more and more I guess I m just getting pickier with my money.

[SearchFunction]

You can still buy them directly from Lego PAB or in packs.

[Vorkosigan]

They do however include 16x16 plates fairly often now. In some ways more useful, in some ways less.

[cgarison]

My wish is that the old molds that Lego has been using to produce baseplates either have been replaced or are going to be replaced very soon because the 32X32 plates that I bought last year were simply horrible and offered very little clutch for my modular MOC to stick to the plate without a significant amount of design effort to keep my building attached to the baseplate when carrying it to and from shows and displays.

[no7erics]

LEGO could be trying to push those (fairly new?) 8x16 and 16x16 plates (further, in various colors). Maybe they've also noticed just how much the majority of people who post their MOCs on the internet just don't use printed baseplates anymore...

[bullet8542]

All very good points, I have point many of the blue and grey base plates and hit E-bay often for roads and the like, I guess I just miss back when...I still miss the alternate assembly and model idea's the do offer those with the Creator line, I just find it easier to build a more "Authentic" Cityscape's with roads and streams etc. I mean I am a hard core AFOL I don't know how many copies of models I buy heck I bought three of the fire stations and One new one to create a mega fire station, Heck I have 5 of the wind mills and have not even added a mountain set up for them....Yet.

I guess I just am caught between two worlds.

Thanks everyone for all of the info!!

[no7erics]

O_O...

also: you have a signature =P

[technic70s]

I dont use the old road base plates because my city is modular based so I dont think they go with the modular style, so I brick build my roads.

To me the road base types belong with the clasic town type of layout.

Edited April 4, 2015 by technic70s

[Paperballpark]

Baseplates are still available in the Brand stores, just not in sets other than the Modular buildings. TLG aren't going to retire them - heck, they've just brought out new ones in bright green and Tan (although they've stopped with the Green and Blue). They're made from a different material to normal bricks though, and I believe they're not made by lego themselves, although I could be wrong.

Additionally, baseplates are actually not great - the gap between the studs is very very slightly bigger than normal, so if you put a line of plates or tiles on a baseplate, the edges of it will curl up slightly as the plates/tiles 'pull' the studs together.

[tedbeard]

I dont use the old road base plates because my city is modular based so I dont think they go with the modular style, so I brick build my roads.

To me the road base types belong with the clasic town type of layout.

If you are talking about OLD road plates then I agree. They are suitable only for 4-wide vehicles. However the modern road plates feature a much wider road surface and go with the modular buildings very nicely IMO. I find the road plates more economical in both cost and storage space.

[LAKAbricks]

If you are talking about OLD road plates then I agree. They are suitable only for 4-wide vehicles. However the modern road plates feature a much wider road surface and go with the modular buildings very nicely IMO. I find the road plates more economical in both cost and storage space.

Though I am not a big fan of modulars, I agree here. I have seen many smartly designed streetscapes, made with road plates, using the pavements of the modulars and then adding a row of trees, parking and bus stops on the roadplates. Or making an even wider pavement.

[tedbeard]

I have seen many smartly designed streetscapes, made with road plates, using the pavements of the modulars and then adding a row of trees, parking and bus stops on the roadplates. Or making an even wider pavement.

I discovered pretty quickly that if you want to add details beyond a few minifigs walking on the sidewalks you really need the extra space. I use 6-wide sidewalks on the roadplates and that allows for a lot of building opportunities. I did recently get a few extra crossroad plates which I am going to modify by removing the printing and will use them to create parking spaces.

[Alucard1977]

Getting back into Lego's I am just more surprised by the cost of the single plates then anything else. Setting up a road for a town can easily get you into the $100 mark very quickly.