Classic themed Creator Sets

[MAB]

There are plenty of white spaceships in Sci Fi movies too. 

[danth]

14 hours ago, MaximillianRebo said:

The preponderance of white, black and bley ships in the SW universe is not the fault of Lego designers, they're just tasked with recreating the designs and colour schemes of the in-universe vehicles, and the movie designers themselves had to deal with the limitations of special effects of the time (especially with the original trilogy) hence why there is not a lot of colour on screen in space battles (the original TIE fighters were meant to have blue accents, but that caused problems filming against a blue screen; it's also why the early 2000's Lego TIE's had a blue colour scheme). It also doesn't help that the original trilogy - and the period of the current Kenobi and upcoming Andor shows - is a time of an authoritarian regime, so the ships won't be very colourful and so any Lego model produced will be another sea of bley. The prequel era appeared to be a much more colourful time hence the better colouring on Naboo fighters, Jedi starfighters etc.

Personally I think the new model that you linked looks like a grey box with wings, but a lot of people will buy it as they want a representation of the show regardless of colour scheme, shape etc. (and being a licensed set some people will buy it for the minfigs alone) The price is also pretty bad, but that's a separate issue, and one that Lego is very much in control of. On the plus side it appears to contain a number of 4x2 pointed wedge plates, so it's good that more of those will become available.

I agree with all of that!

Star Wars spaceships apparently have to "look like" Star Wars space ships, even if that means being ugly and grey. And because of licensing agreements, Lego has to make the sets, even if they're of ugly space ships (like the one I linked to above). And people will buy it, because they will buy anything Star Wars.

Despite the words certain people may try to put in my mouth, I have never criticized the Lego designers. They do a great job at what they're tasked to do. And I'm sure, when it comes to Creator sets, they've designed basically what I'm asking for, and were told "no" by the business types.

I think point we are trying to make is, being cool looking, and being something kids want, has never been a requirement for Star Wars sets, so why do people keep saying new Space sets would "look dated" or "not be what kids want"? They're describing what Star Wars sets are now.

New Space sets could really nail the "what kids like" aesthetic without the baggage of pre-existing designs.

9 hours ago, MAB said:

There are plenty of white spaceships in Sci Fi movies too. 

Yep! Agreed so much that I already said it. 😁

On 5/31/2022 at 12:06 AM, danth said:

I don't think gray castles or brown ships are any more "archetypal" than grey or white spaceships with blue or any other primary color for accents. That's pretty much what every spaceship has ever been colored in a modern sci-fi movie

I think pretty much every one I posted was somewhere between gray and white. Like, you could use either white or light bley Legos to build them and either one would work. 

Edited June 1, 2022 by danth

[Peppermint_M]

I suppose the main influence on what a person (Be it adult or child) wants from a Spaceship is the main media influence in their life. I loved classic science fiction paperbacks once I graduated from kids books, so these had a lot of Chris Foss designs on the covers:

(I have this book, it is AWESOME)

One of my enduring childhood memories (and actually something that continues today) is watching the 1980s Flash Gordon film with my dad. Whenever it was on TV, wherever in the run-time it was, we would sit and watch it. If he came across it channel surfing (or I did) we would stop and watch. Heck, it is 2022 and we still will both watch to the end if we come across it on broadcast TV.  Those are some really Deco/Raygun Gothic designs. The same with the old Dan Dare comics I read at my Grandparents, Space Opera with all the trimmings. Then we have my adoration of Thunderbirds and the other Gerry Anderson shows, with their exciting designs created in the 60s.

I would try and build them using my LEGO and what was left of my uncle's collection. The funny thing? My uncle was a 70s kid, his leftover LEGO (those parts not sold as a teen to buy a mountain bike) were the grey/blue/trans-yellow of LEGO Space (aka Classic Space in the future year 2022). But I was using the parts to build spaceships from media and my imagination that was influenced by those designs. 

My Space LEGO was Exploriens, Insectoids, UFO and Mars Mission, while I would enjoy a few nods in the form of logos and even posters/set boxes as easter eggs in sets, I don't think they would suit today's audiences with a completely different tone and flavour of SciFi set down by, yes, Star Wars but also Marvel and the current leaps and bounds in real life technology. 

Maybe Designers at TLG will get the chance to recreate a Classic Space set again (The LEGO Movie did have a very nice inclusion after all, actually recently in the grand scheme of things) but it depends on the market they pitch for also. Someone in their 30s? How about someone 40+? Pushing 50? If they are making a Creator/Icons set targeting childhood nostalgia, well, Classic Space came out 44 years ago and while some AFOLs younger than 40 do have inherited or joined admiration for Classic Space from the community, it is not often a childhood connection. The broader market of adults with disposable income and a predilection for indulging in childhood nostalgia would not recognise it, instead going for Spyrius, Ice Planet, or indeed UFO and Exploriens as their Space LEGO. 

Anyway. I WANT ADVENTURERS! Sell to me a new Pyramid, or Expedition Balloon in creator with figures that look like the Adventurer Characters!!

 

 

[Operacion Saturno]

On 11/2/2016 at 2:20 PM, danth said:

Seems like Space and Castle Creator sets would be a home run, giving older fans everything they want. Is something like this a possibility?

As long as they respect the blue/gray/trans yellow scheme. Otherwise, it's just a cool generic space set.

[danth]

1 hour ago, Operacion Saturno said:

As long as they respect the blue/gray/trans yellow scheme. Otherwise, it's just a cool generic space set.

So no interest in gray & trans green, or white & trans blue, etc? Or things like Blacktron?

[TeriXeri]

I'd like to see some basic castle expansion set type of thing, like a smaller version of the 3-in-1 castle wall section.

Something like this but more basic bricks instead of panels.

 

3-in-1 Castle itself is likely still available until at least the end of 2023, alongside the bigger Castle this year.

It even could be forestmen or Lion knight themed during 2023, as the figures/shields will be in production, and other faction would also set it apart from the 3-in-1 Castle.

Edited June 2, 2022 by TeriXeri

[MAB]

They tried wall extensions with LOTR and The Hobbit. In both cases, they were wall sets with army building minifigs aside from one named character, a bit like a King would be in a generic set. They didn't seem to be that popular at the time. If they do things like that, it might be better to be 2 in 1 - a decent stand alone build for those without the big set, and an extension build for those with the big set.

[danth]

8 hours ago, MAB said:

they were wall sets with army building minifigs...They didn't seem to be that popular

Knowing LOTR fans, I don't see how that could be possible. 😁

Anyway if you're talking about Uruk-hai Army it was a $30 set that now sells for $150 so I think it was probably plenty popular.

[TeriXeri]

A wall could still be a standalone build, especially as creator, it could be a defense of a tower of sorts.

Of course 3-in-1 Castle already has a Tower + Trebuchet alternate build but that's a €100 set and the 2 alternate builds use maybe 60-70% of the parts, so a cheaper, still sizeable wall/tower type of set could exist.

But I admit there are multiple Harry Potter sets on market right now which basicly function a bit similarly, minus the Castle figures/factions, but they still give a decent insight on what can be done with budget, even while HP is licensed, 3-in-1 could probably allow a bit more parts budget so they don't have to use castle wall panels.

76395: Hogwarts: First Flying Lesson , 4 figs €30

76387: Hogwarts: Fluffy Encounter , 4 figs + beast €40

76401: Hogwarts Courtyard: Sirius's Rescue , 3 figs + "horse" €50

(and larger sets of course too)

The difference would be , that it's under 3-in-1 and can use generic (grey/darkgrey/black) parts and mainly existing figs like Falcons, Crusader, Forestmen which should be all in production for the big 90th castle. 

The 3-in-1 element could just add a bit more variation to the build itself as well, wide or tall, or hinged etc.

It doesn't need to be an expansion to the 31120 set, it could just be able to expand onto itself with multiple sets, 3-in-1 Townhouses could as well with street elements and pins.

Ninjago Dojo this year also allows the Training center to connect to it in at least 5+ places (sides, front, back) with double technic holes, and the training center itself has 5+ segments.

 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by TeriXeri

[Johnny1360]

43 minutes ago, TeriXeri said:

 

Of course 3-in-1 Castle already has a Tower + Trebuchet alternate build but that's a €100 set and the 2 alternate builds use maybe 60-70% of the parts, so a cheaper, still sizeable wall/tower type of set could exist.

 

 

 

I did this, bought a second set and built the tower and trebuchet. Had enough pieces left over to build another corner tower with eight studs worth of wall off both sides and maintain the same build style, so it looks like it belongs. Still I have several hundred extra parts, albeit mostly small useless parts. Thinking about a third set, I imagine there are enough extra pieces after the third build to build quite the significant structure or wall section.

Of course it goes without saying, wait for a sale.

[TeriXeri]

Just now, Johnny1360 said:

Of course it goes without saying, wait for a sale.

I do have 2 sets as well but a sale has not happened since launch in my country, it's pretty much exclusive set only recently made it to more online retailers.

[Johnny1360]

Ah, that is to bad, fortunately my local Target has them and they generally go for 10% to 20% off every now and then.

[danth]

21 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

I'd like to see some basic castle expansion set type of thing, like a smaller version of the 3-in-1 castle wall section.

Something like this but more basic bricks instead of panels.

I think that'd be perfect. Small wall/fort, small shop/inn, small tower. Two minfigs, $20. Done. Throw in mix-n-match helmets/hats, armor, and weapons. You could multi-build that set with endless configurations.

I'm thinking a bigger & better version of this.

[Johnny1360]

I couldn't agree more and for years I have wondered why they don't do like at least one different little 3 in 1 castle set, every year. It  would be perfect, especially for adding parts to ones collection.

Sadly though the $20 sets seem to be discarded in favor of $30 sets. It will be very interesting seeing where this runaway inflation takes TLG, in the next year or two. Something we will all have to face up to, I'm afraid, is can I really afford LEGO anymore.