Minecraft 2017

[Exetrius]

2 minutes ago, Lego-Freak said:

Looks like 21137 is a D2C set after all, given the box size (58 x 48 x 17cm) and its impressive weigth of 5kg  (source: http://brickset.com/sets/21137-1/The-Mountain-Cave). In that regard it's almost comparable with the Disney Castle even though the parts count (and price) will obviously be much lower given we're talking about Minecraft, a theme that tends to have lots of bricks and larger plates accounting for a vast majority of the overall weigth. If I recall correctly, 21128 was unveiled last April, so we might get a reveal in roughly a months time  

Good spotting!  Curious if they will be going with a player-built structure this time. 

Oh, and hopefully we'll get Chickens 

[Johnmeel]

8 hours ago, Lego-Freak said:

Looks like 21137 is a D2C set after all, given the box size (58 x 48 x 17cm) and its impressive weigth of 5kg  (source: http://brickset.com/sets/21137-1/The-Mountain-Cave). In that regard it's almost comparable with the Disney Castle even though the parts count (and price) will obviously be much lower given we're talking about Minecraft, a theme that tends to have lots of bricks and larger plates accounting for a vast majority of the overall weigth. 

Usualy Brickset doesn't list box size and weight for d2c's (this data probably comes either from a specific store inventory database, or from retailer catalogues.)

While being a huge set (the Ocean Monument weighs 1.86kg acc to Brickset), this would point to retail (exclusive) availability.

[Han solo died]

If you look at the updated map on LEGO.com the mountain in the corner uses sand green, maybe the mountain cave (21137-1) will use that?

[BrickBob Studpants]

10 hours ago, Johnmeel said:

Usualy Brickset doesn't list box size and weight for d2c's (this data probably comes either from a specific store inventory database, or from retailer catalogues.)

While being a huge set (the Ocean Monument weighs 1.86kg acc to Brickset), this would point to retail (exclusive) availability.

Good point, but with a box that huge there's no way it's a regular retail set 

1 hour ago, Han solo died said:

If you look at the updated map on LEGO.com the mountain in the corner uses sand green, maybe the mountain cave (21137-1) will use that?

Interesting, I haven't noticed that before, you might be onto something there  Too bad there's nothing else in that picture giving us hints about that set, except for the horses perhaps? The gray one's going to be in the Crafting Box 2.0, so maybe we're getting at least one of the other ones (white, black, reddish brown, dark brown) in the Mountain Cave?  I sure hope so!

[Ashnflash]

Really interesting that you guys are talking about the map. I didn't realize they updated it! But if you look closely  at the Waterfall Base set there is seven horses outside in a bunch of different colours like the ones they had on Facebook. Do you guys think this means that they will be coming in a later set, but specifically this mystery Mountain set? 

Edited March 14, 2017 by Ashnflash

[Cottin]

I think it's safe to say the Minecraft theme has at least one more year (2018) worth of sets, if not more. Thoughts?

I'm quite surprised by the large box and potential D2C status of the Mountain Cave, especially after The Village was released only a year ago, but as a huge fan of the game and lifelong fan of Lego it is welcome news to me! But now I'm unsure about my prediction that the Mountain Cave would contain the new rail system and effectively replace The Mine (the only set in the theme to be discontinued). Given that mineshafts now naturally generate at ground level in mesa biomes and are full of gold, I can see Lego releasing something along lines of "The Gold Mine" where they do a little mesa scene (about the size of the Ice Spikes set) featuring a surface level mine, lots of new rail pieces, lots of gold and a cave spider or two. I also think a "Desert Well" set would be a great $20 way to introduce Husks into the minifig line-up.

At this point, I mostly want to see CHICKENS and baby zombies, thus CHICKEN jockies! (I wonder if designing a chicken that accommodates a baby zombie rider is part of why Lego hasn't released an official model yet..? Seems like a potential design challenge).

Other than that, I'd love to see a D2C Mansion set with Evokers, Vindicators and Vexes, including some of the standout rooms like the one with the big illager head in it. The Desert Temple and End City are the only other notable generated structures still missing from the theme, if I'm not forgetting anything.

[Chewk]

On 3/15/2017 at 6:07 PM, Cottin said:

I think it's safe to say the Minecraft theme has at least one more year (2018) worth of sets, if not more. Thoughts?

I'm quite surprised by the large box and potential D2C status of the Mountain Cave, especially after The Village was released only a year ago, but as a huge fan of the game and lifelong fan of Lego it is welcome news to me! But now I'm unsure about my prediction that the Mountain Cave would contain the new rail system and effectively replace The Mine (the only set in the theme to be discontinued). Given that mineshafts now naturally generate at ground level in mesa biomes and are full of gold, I can see Lego releasing something along lines of "The Gold Mine" where they do a little mesa scene (about the size of the Ice Spikes set) featuring a surface level mine, lots of new rail pieces, lots of gold and a cave spider or two. I also think a "Desert Well" set would be a great $20 way to introduce Husks into the minifig line-up.

At this point, I mostly want to see CHICKENS and baby zombies, thus CHICKEN jockies! (I wonder if designing a chicken that accommodates a baby zombie rider is part of why Lego hasn't released an official model yet..? Seems like a potential design challenge).

Other than that, I'd love to see a D2C Mansion set with Evokers, Vindicators and Vexes, including some of the standout rooms like the one with the big illager head in it. The Desert Temple and End City are the only other notable generated structures still missing from the theme, if I'm not forgetting anything.

I can think of a few other sets, D2C or otherwise, that we could be in store for based purely off of naturally generated features. Given how recently the Mansion was added, I think an End City D2C set is more likely, especially since it has more interesting architecture and would require some amount of new colored pieces (lavender) to be produced. Since the Mansion would more or less be a big box, I could see it being the flagship $130 that you could expand with multiple copies. Another set I could see being made would be a Desert Temple, which would be a great way to introduce Husks like you mentioned. 

Also remember that Lego has made a few sets, like the Jungle Treehouse, The Waterfall Base, and the Desert Outpost, that are set in biomes but feature original (as in structures that aren't naturally generated) designs. The possibilities are somewhat endless so long as the theme sells well. 

EDIT: Completely skipped reading that last paragraph! Whoops!

Edited March 17, 2017 by Chewk

[Ashnflash]

If they do the mansion or the End City those will be such easy passes for me. I'm not really a fan of where the game has gone in the past couple of updates. But the only cool thing that could come of the End City would be Elytra. Absolutely love the Elytras 

I don't want to get greedy but besides getting Baby Zombies and Chickens I'd really like a large green Slime like the one that came in the Nether rail one. I know we just got Slimes finally but I think it'd be cool to get a translucent one.  

[BrickBob Studpants]

21 hours ago, Cottin said:

At this point, I mostly want to see CHICKENS and baby zombies, thus CHICKEN jockies! (I wonder if designing a chicken that accommodates a baby zombie rider is part of why Lego hasn't released an official model yet..? Seems like a potential design challenge).

Other than that, I'd love to see a D2C Mansion set with Evokers, Vindicators and Vexes, including some of the standout rooms like the one with the big illager head in it. The Desert Temple and End City are the only other notable generated structures still missing from the theme, if I'm not forgetting anything.

Couldn't agree more  Being this big a set, I think the Mountain Cave will need a couple of selling points and chickens might be one of them, especially after they've been denied to us for almost three years  Now that D2C sets are no longer precluded from including exclusive moulds (say that three times in a row), there's definitely a chance now, don't disappoint me again TLG 

I don't know about Baby zombies though... I thought about using short legs, but that looks rather silly  Unless the designers get creative, I don't see that happening.

You're right, Desert Temples, End Citys and Woodland Mansions are pretty much all that's left in terms of generated structures (unless update 1.12 brings us something new). Well, apart from something that TLG has portrayed in set form before it was even a structure in the game, namely Igloos. I'd be happy if they released those four structures next year because they have the potential to cover most of the remaining mobs as well (Vexes, Vindicatos and Evokers in the Mansion, Husks in the Desert Temple, Shulkers in the End City and Polar bears as well as Strays in the Igloo). Rabbids, chickens and big slimes could be included in any of those (or even in 21137, fingers crossed). 

[Goonmo]

19 hours ago, Lego-Freak said:

Couldn't agree more  Being this big a set, I think the Mountain Cave will need a couple of selling points and chickens might be one of them, especially after they've been denied to us for almost three years 

I think a proper step forward would also be releasing sets with new player skins like the skin packs. No one needs 12 Steves or 8 Alexs and adding a variety of players would be a good addition to this or any future sets.

[Exetrius]

On 17-3-2017 at 5:02 PM, Goonmo said:

I think a proper step forward would also be releasing sets with new player skins like the skin packs. No one needs 12 Steves or 8 Alexs and adding a variety of players would be a good addition to this or any future sets.

Agreed! Imagine if we would have gotten those with the waves up to now... A nomad skin for the Desert-themed set, adventurer skin for the Jungle hideout, a snow coat for the Ice spikes set... Missed opportunities. There are official MC skins for console players, so I don't see why LEGO couldn't design 'official' skins for Steve and Alex in the regular sets and not just figure packs.

[Cottin]

9 hours ago, Exetrius said:

Agreed! Imagine if we would have gotten those with the waves up to now... A nomad skin for the Desert-themed set, adventurer skin for the Jungle hideout, a snow coat for the Ice spikes set... Missed opportunities. There are official MC skins for console players, so I don't see why LEGO couldn't design 'official' skins for Steve and Alex in the regular sets and not just figure packs.

Lego's possibilities are as endless as the Minecraft universe (as long as you constrain yourself to a realistic price point per model). There is infinite potential for buildings and skins, and the Minecraft community is known for epic creations spanning all eras of time, space, and the human imagination. Every theme Lego has ever released (Castle to Chima, City to Star Wars) has a potential blockier Minecraft counterpart. 

You have the internet, you know. People build EVERYTHING imaginable in Minecraft and out of Lego. I wouldn't be slightly upset if Lego milked this theme for all it's got.

[Exetrius]

17 hours ago, Cottin said:

Lego's possibilities are as endless as the Minecraft universe (as long as you constrain yourself to a realistic price point per model). There is infinite potential for buildings and skins, and the Minecraft community is known for epic creations spanning all eras of time, space, and the human imagination. Every theme Lego has ever released (Castle to Chima, City to Star Wars) has a potential blockier Minecraft counterpart. 

You have the internet, you know. People build EVERYTHING imaginable in Minecraft and out of Lego. I wouldn't be slightly upset if Lego milked this theme for all it's got.

I don't really get your point?

In my opinion,TLG shouldn't release sets about every concept or theme that can exist in people's Minecraft creations. It's a bad idea, because of market saturation. Introducing different skins (and the remaining mobs, blocks and structures, too) in the sets would help to keep the theme viable. More Steve variants to collect = more sets sold.

 

While writing this, I had some crazy set ideas that are never happening, sharing them just for fun:

211XX: The Server  - Includes main lobby with mini game portals, parkour and a PvP mini game area. Also comes with Steve, Alex and three player minifigs with custom skins, two lobby pets, two server mob heads and a fire trail.

211XX: Modpack  - Includes a generated boss structure. Comes with Alex, Herobrine, custom evil villager soldiers, custom chests and craftable devices, overpowered armours, swords and magic wands. 

[Cottin]

Oh haha, yeahh I went a bit overboard and wasn't very clear. Let me refine my points. 

- We need fig variety. Alex and Steve skin variants are absolutely welcome (and I love the idea of the skins being themed to the biome), but I'd be just as thrilled to see custom skins, like those released in the two skin packs, appear as the figs in sets -- just unnamed characters that give us consumers variety so we don't have to amass 15 identical Steves on our way to collecting one of each mob. I think the Minecraft universe is too rich with options to churn out clones. But no, I don't think it wise to release sets based on other intellectual property. Markets for mash-ups depend on the consumer's interest in BOTH properties. Star Wars is the only license I could see faring well with a Minecraft skin pack, but that's going off zero data and an assumption that Star Wars just sells, period. Lol

- Minecraft isn't bound to any one aesthetic. A good portion of the Minecraft Lego theme is designer-built structures (Desert Outpost, Jungle Tree House, Fortress, Waterfall Base, etc.) that do not exist in game, but don't seem to have any strong architectural influences either (mostly they are platforms or boxes with flat walls). Why not make sets that capture the diversity of the community? A few iconic styles come to mind: Western saloon, Buddhist temple, rustic European cottage, traditional pueblo. I think there is potential for not only buildings, but a couple mock vehicles as well. I don't think blocky cars would be a hit, but things like boats, blimps, planes and anything kinda steam punkish could attract an audience IMO.

 

[Han solo died]

Parrots and different coloured beds

All has been said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Chewk]

4 hours ago, Han solo died said:

Parrots and different coloured beds

All has been said

Seeing as those features have only just been announced, and sets are typically designed a year or two in advance, I wouldn't count on it anytime soon. 

[Exetrius]

LEGO designer Robert Heim gives insight in the train of thought for the Ice Spikes set, in this article on minecraft.net. Most of it is written in dummy and review-with-interest language though, so here's the most relevant bit for us FOLs:

Quote

-snip-

I had a quick chat with designer Robert Heim about the recently released Ice Spikes set. It’s the fifth set Robert’s been involved with, and introduces some cool new ideas that the LEGO Minecraft team will probably adapt to future sets. It’s super cool, in every sense.

So how did the LEGO designers settle on this particular biome?

“Each year, we sit down and brainstorm what kind of new environments we can use," says Robert. "New structures, characters and so forth. I was pushing for the Ice Spike biome as it’s actually my favourite in the game. I could immediately imagine how it would look - it’s got these nice colours that would work really well in LEGO bricks. The challenge was more about finding a story to fit around the set. Why are you there? What can you do there? We always try to find a story that you can play out, which makes sense within the world of Minecraft and allows us to introduce special characters or items to the set.”

“We had a number of ideas for this set,” says Robert. “I think the starting point was going to be a little base. When you discover this area for the first time, you want to stay there for a while because it looks so interesting and different, so you need to put down roots. But later the idea evolved, and became the story of using the enchantment table for the first time.”“Why are you there? What can you do there? We always try to find a story that you can play out.”

Robert explains: “Our thinking was that if you want to build something with the material that’s unique to the Ice Spike biome - the packed ice - you need a pickaxe enchanted with Silk Touch. So I thought it could be a good idea to use the enchantment table here for the first time and give you an enchanted pickaxe.”

-snip-

 

[Cottin]

Thanks for the insight! That was an interesting little read. I wonder what new blocks, items, and/or mob will be added in The Mountain Cave, and what story the designers wish to tell with the elements of the set. 

Edited March 30, 2017 by Cottin
too wordy

[Han solo died]

If you look on the Lego Minecraft Facebook page there is a silhouette of the mountain cave. I can see bats shields baby wolf? And a lot of land mass

 

[Goonmo]

2 hours ago, Han solo died said:

If you look on the Lego Minecraft Facebook page there is a silhouette of the mountain cave. I can see bats shields baby wolf? And a lot of land mass

Also, unless there are Zombies with tools in this set, there at least three players which could mean some new skin designs.

[Ashnflash]

47 minutes ago, Goonmo said:

Also, unless there are Zombies with tools in this set, there at least three players which could mean some new skin designs.

Ya noticed that too! It's exciting! Looking forward to seeing the reveal. 

[Cottin]

I can't distinguish a chicken from the silhouettes, so whether we get our feathered friends is still a tossup. The bat is a nice surprise however, and I'm interested to see the use of pieces.

[Chewk]

4 hours ago, Cottin said:

I can't distinguish a chicken from the silhouettes, so whether we get our feathered friends is still a tossup. The bat is a nice surprise however, and I'm interested to see the use of pieces.

It looks like the wings are minifigure neck brackets, and the ears are a 1x1 with clip. 

[Han solo died]

It's the same bat from classic tales 2.1

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Cottin]

Thanks guys! I posted that comment before seeing the picture at full quality and, after a review, you guys are right.

Now to maintain patience until the official reveal.