2016 City Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[jhuyser]

All lego does thease days is release police themes. Why not a school theme or a parks and recreation theme or a new theme/

Edited January 11, 2016 by jhuyser

[Amazing Bricks]

All lego does thease days is release police themes. Why not a school theme or a parks and recreation theme or a new theme/

Police sells, firefighters sell, and those are always going to stay in the theme. We won't be seeing a school, friends covers the main "city" stuff.

Edited January 11, 2016 by amazingbricks

[jhuyser]

Police sells, firefighters sell, and those are always going to stay in the theme. We won't be seeing a school, friends covers the main "city" stuff.

Yeah friends theme that steals from city why couldn't it have been like paradisa

[NotMegalodon]

The fun thing about lego is you can build everything you need yourself

But i do wish they'd release traffic signs, fences, flags and trees as a set, like back in the '90. Oh well...

[Lyichir]

All lego does thease days is release police themes. Why not a school theme or a parks and recreation theme or a new theme/

There are probably two main reasons for that: action and escapism. Police work and firefighting are two action-packed professions, and action play is much more appealing to kids (especially young boys) than simple role play. Additionally, school isn't a fantasy for kids like police work or firefighting—it's a core part of their real-life existence. Themes like Police and Fire (or even Construction and other City subthemes) allow kids to fantasize about what they might do when they grow up, rather than just recreating what they do every day.

In any case, it's not like Lego never releases new themes in City. If you had told me five years ago that Lego City would include subthemes like Arctic or volcano research, I might've called you crazy. Lego certainly finds opportunities to branch out even with new Fire and Police sets every single year.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Lyichir

[Sparks352]

In any case, it's not like Lego never releases new themes in City. If you had told me five years ago that Lego City would include subthemes like Arctic or volcano research, I might've called you crazy. Lego certainly finds opportunities to branch out even with new Fire and Police sets every single year.

Even though it wasn't city sub theme per say, I had Arctic Research base in 2000, set 6575. I still have loads of the pieces.

I really can't wait for the Volcano sets, I keep checking all my LEGO news resources every day looking for pictures.

[lightningtiger]

Not until London or NY toy fairs plus Legoworld events are on that we'll see images of the second wave of city sets for this year, I'm dying to see the Gas Station and Gun In The Park sets !

[andythenorth]

If you had told me five years ago that Lego City would include subthemes like Arctic or volcano research, I might've called you crazy. Lego certainly finds opportunities to branch out even with new Fire and Police sets every single year.

[Way off-topic] So my kids are 4 and nearly-6, both boys (if that matters). In the last 6 years, I bought waaaay too much Lego City (too much disposable income, now regretting owning too much...stuff). They don't play with half of it, so we're selling it off to other parents looking for a Lego bargain.

So what's my point? In the 'sell' box:

- all of the city police stuff: police station, cars, vans, trucks, helicopters, but not the forest police station

- most of the city and forest fire stuff: the trucks (which are very nicely done by Lego, but just not played with), the fire station, helicopters etc

- most of the 'bad guys' hideouts and cars and so on. My kids like the idea that the bad guys get caught, it's definitely a story for them, but they don't play it out in Lego.

- all the caravans, campers, taxis, the buses, buildings from City Square and Transportation sets including the tram, and some of the more generic cargo trucks and vans, ambulances, and some of the space vehicles

- Creator houses

Things they wouldn't part with in any circumstance:

- the Arctic stuff

- snowploughs, tow-trucks, the bin lorry, logging truck, basically any truck with functions, especially a tow hook

- anything that looks fast/stylish, including sports cars and chunky off-road vehicles

- any of the trains, ever

- most of the planes, especially the VTOL logging one with a winch

So eh, dunno, other kids will be different, but Lego's "fire/police are what small boys want" theory doesn't hold up here. I actually thought it would because, eh, it's heroes and bad guys and so on, but seems not.

Edited January 14, 2016 by andythenorth

[TheLazyChicken]

[Way off-topic] So my kids are 4 and nearly-6, both boys (if that matters). In the last 6 years, I bought waaaay too much Lego City (too much disposable income, now regretting owning too much...stuff). They don't play with half of it, so we're selling it off to other parents looking for a Lego bargain.

So what's my point? In the 'sell' box:

- all of the city police stuff: police station, cars, vans, trucks, helicopters, but not the forest police station

- most of the city and forest fire stuff: the trucks (which are very nicely done by Lego, but just not played with), the fire station, helicopters etc

- most of the 'bad guys' hideouts and cars and so on. My kids like the idea that the bad guys get caught, it's definitely a story for them, but they don't play it out in Lego.

- all the caravans, campers, taxis, the buses, buildings from City Square and Transportation sets including the tram, and some of the more generic cargo trucks and vans, ambulances, and some of the space vehicles

- Creator houses

Things they wouldn't part with in any circumstance:

- the Arctic stuff

- snowploughs, tow-trucks, the bin lorry, logging truck, basically any truck with functions, especially a tow hook

- anything that looks fast/stylish, including sports cars and chunky off-road vehicles

- any of the trains, ever

- most of the planes, especially the VTOL logging one with a winch

So eh, dunno, other kids will be different, but Lego's "fire/police are what small boys want" theory doesn't hold up here. I actually thought it would because, eh, it's heroes and bad guys and so on, but seems not.

From the kids I've seen, they are more into the police cars and police helicopters. Their views would be probably different as they prefer the creator house over the artic theme unlike yours. Different views on things I guess.

[eanair]

- snowploughs, tow-trucks, the bin lorry, logging truck, basically any truck with functions, especially a tow hook

These are the kind of sets my 4 year olds (boy) loves too - those and the deep sea sets. Today he got 31041 (the creator mini jcb) and he adores it. Anything that's a big machine really!

[Legoboy22]

My 8 year old girl loves the caravans and houses. She got one police set and the only thing she kept together were the minifigs. The rest was gone. What i find curious about her is that she hates lego friends

[sunhuntin]

These are the kind of sets my 4 year olds (boy) loves too - those and the deep sea sets. Today he got 31041 (the creator mini jcb) and he adores it. Anything that's a big machine really!

might have to get that set for the telescopic handler build. we had 2 of those on my last job site. neat machines for sure. very clever and remarkably agile for their size.

Edited January 16, 2016 by sunhuntin

[sebitsena]

I remember i loved helicopters and planes when i was young! I was able to run everywhere in the house with my fire helicopter, landing and taking off the table ^^

Between 8 and 10, i started to be interested in historical series like pirates and adventurers, and TRAINS! I think i was more attentive to realism at this age and really enjoyed cars, trucks and buildings.

Edited January 18, 2016 by sebitsena

[Aanchir]

Yeah friends theme that steals from city why couldn't it have been like paradisa

Because Paradisa was never a really successful theme and Friends is? I somewhat liked Paradisa as a kid, but there's no doubt in my mind that Friends is a much better theme in terms of colors, designs, figures, and sheer variety of subject matter. Buyers seem to agree.

Besides, I could name maybe four pre-Friends City sets that really strongly resemble Friends sets we've gotten: 7639 Camper, 7635 4WD with Horse Trailer, 8403 City House, and 4641 Speedboat. So if Friends has "stolen" anything from City, it hasn't been a lot. The majority of Friends sets have been quite unlike anything we've ever gotten in LEGO City, and there's no reason to assume that those kinds of subjects (diners, veterinary clinics, riding camps, schools, beach houses, hotels, summer camps, supermarkets, etc.) would've shown up in LEGO City by now if Friends hadn't come along.

Edited January 21, 2016 by Aanchir

[lifeinplastic]

Because Paradisa was never a really successful theme and Friends is? I somewhat liked Paradisa as a kid, but there's no doubt in my mind that Friends is a much better theme in terms of colors, designs, figures, and sheer variety of subject matter. Buyers seem to agree.

Paradisa lasted for six years but difficult to compare the two due to the far greater range of colours and bricks available nowadays in comparison to the 90s. Plus the Friends line isn't only restricted to an island/beach resort, meaning there are far more possible original sets that could be built. Furthermore, Paradisa never received the same exposure as Friends enjoys these days (Internet and TV show, plus modern availability of toys in supermarkets). Paradisa was probably my favourite theme when I was a kid (except as it was pink nobody ever bought it for me, being a boy) I always therefore wished the bricks were not pink and that theme was more gender-neutral, exactly as I do with the current Friends theme.

I am, like many other AFOLs it seems, disappointed that the range of buildings and subject matter of the Friends theme isn't something that is currently likely to be included in 'City' themes as a result, and have always disliked the minidolls, primarily because I feel they are divisive in terms of being too gender-specific and incompatible with minifigures. I will always wonder if a 'minifigure-based' Friends theme would have been equally as successful.

Edited January 21, 2016 by lifeinplastic

[Joebot]

I am, like many other AFOLs it seems, disappointed that the range of buildings and subject matter of the Friends theme isn't something that is currently likely to be included in 'City' themes as a result, and have always disliked the minidolls, primarily because I feel they are divisive in terms of being too gender-specific and incompatible with minifigures. I will always wonder if a 'minifigure-based' Friends theme would have been equally as successful.

I agree, and it IS disappointing that the City product team has totally abandoned any pretense of building an actual "city." But ... so be it. I'm VERY grateful that the Friends theme has come along and largely filled that void.

For example, I recently picked up the new Friends Supermarket. This is a terrific set. Yeah, the mini-dolls immediately get tossed in the "Useless Crap" drawer with the stud shooters and the brick separators. That kinda sucks. But everything else in here is very useful to anyone with a Lego town. The details are fantastic, and the Friends color palette gives you a nice change of pace from the typical primary colors. I think I've bought one City set in the past 3-4 years. There's just nothing of interest there for me anymore. I continue to be delighted by the Friends theme though, and have bought a huge chunk of that theme to populate and expand my Lego town (and to fill up my Useless Crap drawer with more and more mini-dolls).

[BlockLogo]

How many bought the City Square set from last year? It was a great set for CITY standards (a little simple for AFOLs prolly but so are most CITY sets). And we're getting a gas station and a park later this year. Add to that the many CREATOR and even Juniors buildings, and there is plenty of civilian stuff. Maybe not proportional to the amount of fire and police stations, but still, I don't really get all these same complaints over and over.

Also,

Yeah, the mini-dolls immediately get tossed in the "Useless Crap" drawer

I hope you at least take the hair pieces off as they can be used on minifigs as well as minidolls.

[Justin]

Another thing I wish LEGO would release this year, is an Octan gas station with convenience store.

[Vinny 33714]

London toy fair is next week, maybe Lego will show city volcano and park sets

[Boettner Builds]

Also,

I hope you at least take the hair pieces off as they can be used on minifigs as well as minidolls.

The problem I have with those hair pieces is that they have little holes in them for bows :(

I REALLY hope to see some pictures of the volcano sets coming out!!

[Japanbuilder]

Recently having gotten back into Lego I noticed that as well. The lack of sprawling civilian compounds and other everyday structures. Indeed I have been highly tempted to buy Friends sets and simply not use the Friends figures but populate them with regular mini figures.

I have nearly completed a Police sub-theme (last set is in the mail and coming my way) and I don't need anymore of that going forward (35 mini figures split between crooks and cops). So I have begun the painstaking process of going through recent City sets (the past 3 or 4 years) and ordering campers, caravans, municipal services trucks etc. Just to have a civilian population that outnumbers the cops and crooks in my town lol.

It is going to take a long time >< as I want at the least a 4:1 ratio between civilians and a combined cops and crooks count. >.>

I want to see what type of figures are included in the rumored volcano sets! If it is loaded with scientist and other handy accessories I am there in a flash!

[Bricknblue]

Recently having gotten back into Lego I noticed that as well. The lack of sprawling civilian compounds and other everyday structures. Indeed I have been highly tempted to buy Friends sets and simply not use the Friends figures but populate them with regular mini figures.

I'd suggest just mixing the Friends minidolls in with the mini figures but there aren't any males.

I buy more Friends sets than anything else now because I love the buildings and the pieces, and I take the hair pieces off and just throw the mini dolls anywhere.

I'm very much looking forward to the Volcano Starter set we have to be getting.

Edited January 22, 2016 by Bricknblue

[Legononymous]

The fun thing about lego is you can build everything you need yourself

But i do wish they'd release traffic signs, fences, flags and trees as a set, like back in the '90. Oh well...

Agreed!!!!

I'd suggest just mixing the Friends minidolls in with the mini figures but there aren't any males.

I buy more Friends sets than anything else now because I love the buildings and the pieces, and I take the hair pieces off and just throw the mini dolls anywhere.

I'm very much looking forward to the Volcano Starter set we have to be getting.

That's what I do. I wish the friends sets were complete buildings though.

[El Garfio]

I'm more of minidolls than minifigs, maybe because I'm relativity new in LEGO and don't have childhood memories about minifigs, maybe because I see them more realistic and proportionate.

If Friends would have more male characters for me they will be ideal. I'm not against minifigs. I like a lot of the ones I have, but there are other that are really hard to have positive thoughts about them (specialy feminine minifigs that has no hair because she wears a hat).

I understand people that like minifigs and dislike minidolls but they can give minidolls a chance. I know that it could be unrealistic sharing them as regular characters, but you can use minidolls as mannequins or as part of a rooftop ad.

[scottwb2010]

London toy fair is next week, maybe Lego will show city volcano and park sets