The Pirate Theme ended...

[Mister Phes]

The story...

Some of the reasons Pirates were cancelled was because LEGO was running out of ideas for sets, and the sets they were producing were losing their originality. However, I disagree (of course) as during the final sets became even more interesting. I wish the Pirate theme resumed where it left off rather than create that hideous 4+ Pirate theme.

In 1996 the

[ApophisV]

IMO the last one or two years of the original pirates line were not very good. The sets lacked of the creativity of the 80's and early 90's sets and got relatively <insert that tiresome argument> (even if this juniorization compared to the things TLC did afterwards is harldy noticable). I especially never liked that last large ship with the crashing sail...

[Jipay]

I wanted a last pirate boat but some dude was late at the shop and couldn't buy it :-D

I agree that we cold add many new things, but I think the only problem is that lego is affraid of non generic items. They seem to have a real avoidance for those so don't excpect to see tavern, where people are drunk and prostitutes naked :-D

[Akkhraziel]

The only thing I was ever really confused by was the islanders theme. That seemed to pull the idea that all the pirate stuff was in the Carribean and move it over into the south pacific, given the the overall general look of the islanders. (Looks tiki-ized to me) Additionally, I've always vaguely wondered what Lego was planning to have you do with the Islander sets in the pirates theme...recreate Spanish visits ? There's a lovely idea. Don't get me wrond, the sets were pretty and all, I'm just curious as to the logic behind them.

Oh, and on the note of Pirates not quite being done yet: as pirates weren't really my bag, I can't comment too much on it. But going off the theme I really like (ninja, for those who haven't caught on yet) it seems that Lego does sort of run out os steam after a year or two. I'm kinda glad there wasn't a third year of Ninja, it might have been fairly silly.

Hmmm, taking that a bit firther, it might very well be that Lego has noticed that the average attention span of kids for any toy seems to be about a year to two years, after that they move on. Perhaps that is the other reason for the constantly shifting themes (in some form or fashion) or constant 're-imaging' of a line (Bionicle, Knights Kingdom part II, Electric Boogaloo).

Just my two cents,

Akkh

[xwingyoda]

I still don't understand how TLC could be out of ideas - as you say, open a history book and cover all the different historical periods piratry reigned those distant waters ;)

Pirate as a general theme can easily be divided into different themes: Imperial Armada, Amerindians... (like ninja and castles...).

Pirate is always a subject that interest a lot kids: Its not very hard to convince ourselves of this - look at all the pirate merchandise out there, plus movies (pirates of the Car. did really well, and they are currently working on n

[ImperialJohn]

As I said: "Don't trust a French, he might be a Pirate" :D

[xwingyoda]

Or "trust a pirate because he might be French" :-D

[The Middleman]

I think all the Pirate line, including Islanders, was a hell of a lot better than half the sets we're getting now, excepting City and Star Wars. I'm all for a revival of Pirate. I also don't think it's a good use of time to complain about discontinued lines when there's the future to discuss. ;)

[xwingyoda]

True but hopefully, pirates will be part of that future ;)

[The Middleman]

True but hopefully, pirates will be part of that future ;)

Which is why we should be discussing set ideas more than complaints about old sets! *satis*

[xwingyoda]

A new pirate line would have a lot of potential will those new coloured weapons ;)

Ingredients are always the same for vikings and pirates for wanted sets, nice new figs, ships, islands, forts, ports, fortress...

[The Middleman]

I think a modular Imperial fortress would do well, a la Hogwarts, using baseplates that interlock to create a huge island fortress.

[xwingyoda]

Or a port city ;)

EDIT: I want a better reedition of the Imperial Trading Post (n

[The Middleman]

Or a port city ;)

These modular sets are interesting but I don't know if they sell well (always that profit question hanging in the air). In order for this to work, we would need 2 or 3 big sets - that would represent at least (and I'm generous) 240

[xwingyoda]

You mean modules like the cloud city set?

That would be great and easy to do. I still see a problem there: kids want to play with sets, they don't want to collect all the sets to have a very nice module.

Having a modular line could increase the cost of the set due to the big baseplate.

[The Middleman]

You mean modules like the cloud city set?

That would be great and easy to do. I still see a problem there: kids want to play with sets, they don't want to collect all the sets to have a very nice module.

Having a modular line could increase the cost of the set due to the big baseplate.

No no no... and the modules could be done on differently sized baseplates to decrease cost. Have stuff like a dock, an armory, a prison, a general fortress, and a couple ships for good measure. Nothing too repetitive, so kids will see a reason to get them all.

[xwingyoda]

I see, like the old far west sets or the old pirate for that matter ;)

[Mister Phes]

IMO the last one or two years of the original pirates line were not very good. The sets lacked of the creativity of the 80's and early 90's sets and got relatively <insert that tiresome argument> (even if this juniorization compared to the things TLC did afterwards is harldy noticable). I especially never liked that last large ship with the crashing sail...

Now I be wondering what you've based your opinion on. Do you own the older and latter sets or have reasonable exposure to them? Or have you based it upon pictures?

Here's a comparison...

1990's 6260 Shipwreck Island

I remember when I saw this set on sale back in the early 90's and wanted it so badly. I was very excited about but when I finally got it, I was slightly disappointed as there wasn't much too it.

1996's 6248 Volcano Island

This is quite an interesting set indeed. Yes it does borrow the rotating skull idea from 6279 Skull Island but Shipwreck Island is no more than a smaller version of 6270 Forbidden Island

What makes Volcano Island more original is the spring loaded feature that enables the volcanoe to errupt (well, throw out small transparent circular red bricks and the skeleton).

I find Volcano Island slightly more compelling because of its features, especially the errupting volcano which makes this unique to all other Pirate sets.

This is but one example...

[Mister Phes]

I wanted a last pirate boat but some dude was late at the shop and couldn't buy it  :-D

What is a last Pirate boat? The last one LEGO released or the last one left in stock?

I agree that we cold add many new things, but I think the only problem is that lego is affraid of non generic items. They seem to have a real avoidance for those so don't excpect to see tavern, where people are drunk and prostitutes naked  :-D

I tavern doesn't have to imply drunkeness and prostitution. It could simply be a place for weary travellers to buy a meal.

Anyhow, 6267 Lagoon Lock-Up was known as Soldier's Tavern in the UK and Australia. So the idea of a tavern has already been used in the Pirate theme in the past.

[Mister Phes]

The only thing I was ever really confused by was the islanders theme. That seemed to pull the idea that all the pirate stuff was in the Carribean and move it over into the south pacific, given the the overall general look of the islanders. (Looks tiki-ized to me) Additionally, I've always vaguely wondered what Lego was planning to have you do with the Islander sets in the pirates theme...recreate Spanish visits ? There's a lovely idea. Don't get me wrond, the sets were pretty and all, I'm just curious as to the logic behind them.

The Indigo Islanders seemed to be the least popular of the Pirate sets probably because people were confused what it was all about. After the first year no Islander new sets were released apart from the promotional 1788 Pirate's Chest, but other than that the Islander Sub theme never went anywhere.

They were suppose to represent the indians (or indigenous/native inhabitants) which resided in the Caribbean and Meso Amercia. But as you said they probably are a closer resembelence to Pacific Islanders.

Their appearance was probably too disjointed from the main theme and that probably contributed to their lack of appeal.

[xwingyoda]

I kind of like this Islanders sub-theme (which I called amer-indians in another previous post).

I think its shows a very nice diversity in cultures.

However I think that its not easy to place islanders and pirates or imperials in the same line. I was not that interested at Lego at that time, so i don't know how they did communicate on these islanders (or the lack of communication lead to this confusion).

[Mister Phes]

I still don't understand how TLC could be out of ideas - as you say, open a history book and cover all the different historical periods piratry reigned those distant waters ;)

Fronsac" ;)

Its absurd LEGO could even suggest they were running out of ideas for Pirates considering how many different possibilties they failed to explore.

Pirate as a general theme can easily be divided into different themes: Imperial Armada, Amerindians... (like ninja and castles...).

The original Pirates already has 4 offical sub-themes: Soliders, Imperial Guards, Indigo Islanders and Imperial Armada.

Pirate is always a subject that interest a lot kids: Its not very hard to convince ourselves of this - look at all the pirate merchandise out there, plus movies (pirates of the Car. did really well, and they are currently working on n

[Mister Phes]

Or a port city ;)

EDIT: I want a better reedition of the Imperial Trading Post (n

[Mister Phes]

I kind of like this Islanders sub-theme (which I called amer-indians in another previous post).

I think its shows a very nice diversity in cultures.

However I think that its not easy to place islanders and pirates or imperials in the same line. I was not that interested at Lego at that time, so i don't know how they did communicate on these islanders (or the lack of communication lead to this confusion).

Yes I thought you mean Islanders by Amer-Indians, but I decided it was most appropriate to use their official title.

There were 3 major civilisations in the American: Incas, Mayans and Aztecs each with their own cultures and architecture. Some of which was explored in the Adventurers Theme, just remove Johnny Thunder has all the modern elements from the sets and they could possibly become compatible with the Pirate theme.

However there were also the Olmecs which little is known about so that leaves much open to the imagination. And finally there were the Rastafarians, so that's 5 meso Amercian cultures that could be divised into sub themes.

[xwingyoda]

My apologies for being a little off topic here:

That would make a fantastic theme if well made.

Imagine, the new theme Ancient civilizations - what a potential ;) You can have sub themes about the worlds greatest civ.

An ancient aztec pyramid, a maya temple, a nice version of Cambodian Ta Prhom temple, roman cities, greek (a reedition of the battle of Salamine where the city of Athens crushed the Persian Empire - oh poor Darius)...

Concerning De Fronsac, I'm sure of it (from distant memories though) - I'll have to check it out (and its DEFINITLY not that megablock French actor playing in the brotherhood of the wolves ;) ).