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The Future of Lego Space. (opinions, ideas, discussion)

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22 hours ago, badgerboy said:

For me:

Blacktron 3: Mostly black fuselage with some fairly exposed engines using dbg and lbg with perhaps some carefully placed brown and dark orange maybe even some olive or dark green and dark blue on the body work to make things seem older and rusted here and there. Canopies in trans red and cockpits internal stuff in flat red. All manned by minifigures designed to look like droids with a group of leaders who're all partially droid in some way?

Futuron: @Digger of Bricks I really liked your "friends" in space idea. Reckon they'd work quite nicely here with white, lilac, light azure etc. It's that space colony idea of yours and I'm seeing "Eden Project" style geodesic domes featuring in a really big set.

The rusted look is kind of a cool idea, something that I could have seen being adopted for Blacktron villains in SP3 sets if the theme continued on, seems like their vibe.

Speaking of SP3, you speak of geodesic domes for Friends/minidoll sets, and it makes me think of those Trans-blue quarter dome piece that were recolored from old Paradisa sets in set no. 5985. Not only do I want to see more usage and recoloring of those parts, but I could see them being perfect for a girl's space theme; since after all, those parts were introduced in a girl's theme anyway.

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On 7/23/2017 at 11:12 PM, Digger of Bricks said:

As a conversation starter, I thought I'd ask those who comment on this thread what would you like to see from a hypothetical third comeback of Blacktron.

First, what would the faction be depicted as? Whether they be a shadowy espionage agency, a band of rogue space pirates, extraterrestrials, or a army of minions under a Darth Vader/Ogel like overlord, how would you like to see them portrayed?

Secondly, what sort of design aesthetic should their spacecraft follow after? Should it be a sharp Nexo Knights design; a blunt, angular look; or a rounded, spherical one?

Thirdly, what color scheme would it adopt? Should it completely take after the original black/trans-yellow scheme of Blacktron I or the black/white/trans-neon green of Blacktron II? Should instead it take a whole new route with its color scheme, maybe adopting anything from black on trans. red, trans. light green, trans. purple, trans. neon yellow, etc?

Lastly, who would you like to see them pitted against? Should they be explorers, space marines, mining colonies, or something else?

To answer your questions, I'd prefer to see Blacktron done like this:

  • Shadowy space pirates.
  • Angular and sleek, with engine details and some greebling.
  • Black and yellow color scheme, with trans black canopies and dark / light grey engine components.
  • Pitted against Neo-Classic Space explorers / colonies and aliens that are being contacted by the explorers / colonists.

That's just how I see it.

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Now that hi(er) res pics of Star Wars sets have surfaced, the trans yellow canopy seems to have rounded corners on the decoration, suggesting that it is stickered, but their sticker application is so perfect it can be hard to tell some times! (There are a billion stickers on that tiny set!)

The red one is definitely trans. That one doesn't look like a sticker to me, but it's still hard to tell.

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10 minutes ago, Artanis I said:

Now that hi(er) res pics of Star Wars sets have surfaced, the trans yellow canopy seems to have rounded corners on the decoration, suggesting that it is stickered, but their sticker application is so perfect it can be hard to tell some times! (There are a billion stickers on that tiny set!)

The red one is definitely trans. That one doesn't look like a sticker to me, but it's still hard to tell.

I agree with you on the Trans yellow one, the rounded edges definitely indicate a sticker. (And I should know, I've spent a lot of time staring at really zoomed in prints and stickers to trace them for mecabricks)

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10 hours ago, Artanis I said:

Now that hi(er) res pics of Star Wars sets have surfaced, the trans yellow canopy seems to have rounded corners on the decoration, suggesting that it is stickered, but their sticker application is so perfect it can be hard to tell some times! (There are a billion stickers on that tiny set!)

The red one is definitely trans. That one doesn't look like a sticker to me, but it's still hard to tell.

I just looked at those images, and yes, I'm pretty sure myself that those are stickers! Otherwise, prints would have covered the edges, so this is great news.

Looking at Kylo's TIE, I think it might be a print since the graphic seems to stretch to the edges.

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17 hours ago, Artanis I said:

Now that hi(er) res pics of Star Wars sets have surfaced, the trans yellow canopy seems to have rounded corners on the decoration, suggesting that it is stickered, but their sticker application is so perfect it can be hard to tell some times! (There are a billion stickers on that tiny set!)

The red one is definitely trans. That one doesn't look like a sticker to me, but it's still hard to tell.

I was literally looking at the same thing last night and had the same thoughts! I don't think we'll know for sure until it's released, but I'm hoping for stickers in this case.

6 hours ago, Digger of Bricks said:

I just looked at those images, and yes, I'm pretty sure myself that those are stickers! Otherwise, prints would have covered the edges, so this is great news.

Looking at Kylo's TIE, I think it might be a print since the graphic seems to stretch to the edges.

I don't think prints generally touch the edges. For example I know the print on U-Wing fighter canopy doesn't. 

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On 7/28/2017 at 1:50 PM, danth said:

I was literally looking at the same thing last night and had the same thoughts! I don't think we'll know for sure until it's released, but I'm hoping for stickers in this case.

I don't think prints generally touch the edges. For example I know the print on U-Wing fighter canopy doesn't. 

Whatever the case, in retrospect, 2017 has been pretty good to us as far as Trans-yellow canopies go. We can primarily thank The Lego Batman Movie for that, with three of the sets giving us a highly desirable minifigure scale X Wing canopy in printed and unprinted versions, and the initial Batmobile giving us a brand new windshield part in Trans-yellow also. 

I was at a local Walmart the other day, and many of the sets there were on clearance, presumably to make room for Ninjago Movie sets in a few days. Some of these sets even included summer 2017 releases, one of them being the Ultimate Batmobile at $30 off its original retail price! Originally $130, its clearance price at $100 was quite tempting, since you spend the same amount for TLBM Batcave which includes only one Trans-yellow X Wing canopy as opposed to the three included in the Batmobile!

But, I've usually collected nearly all my bricks from local thrift stores and estate/garage sales, so retail purchases are mostly not a consideration of mine. :sceptic:

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On 24-7-2017 at 5:12 AM, Digger of Bricks said:

As a conversation starter, I thought I'd ask those who comment on this thread what would you like to see from a hypothetical third comeback of Blacktron.

First, what would the faction be depicted as? Whether they be a shadowy espionage agency, a band of rogue space pirates, extraterrestrials, or a army of minions under a Darth Vader/Ogel like overlord, how would you like to see them portrayed?

Secondly, what sort of design aesthetic should their spacecraft follow after? Should it be a sharp Nexo Knights design; a blunt, angular look; or a rounded, spherical one?

Thirdly, what color scheme would it adopt? Should it completely take after the original black/trans-yellow scheme of Blacktron I or the black/white/trans-neon green of Blacktron II? Should instead it take a whole new route with its color scheme, maybe adopting anything from black on trans. red, trans. light green, trans. purple, trans. neon yellow, etc?

Lastly, who would you like to see them pitted against? Should they be explorers, space marines, mining colonies, or something else?

 

1. A band of rogues that uses their stealth and their smarts to get what they're after. So eh... space-ninja-pirate-agents? :purrr: Humans and cyborgs, preferably. No strong evil leader, because that would detract from the capabilities of the individuals.

2. Sleek and angular, to underline their stealthy nature. 

3. Black is a given, the rest is hard. The original is great, but maybe other combinations like silver- tr. white- tr. purple? 

4. A large mining corporation, a weapon manufacturer and an alien invasion swarm/mothership.  

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How would any of you feel if Nexo Knights was actually a space theme, that is, its setting was in space? Such a difference would have effected many elements of the theme, but it would be interesting to know what both castle fans and space fans would have thought of a theme like that.

On 7/31/2017 at 8:39 AM, Exetrius said:

1. A band of rogues that uses their stealth and their smarts to get what they're after. So eh... space-ninja-pirate-agents? :purrr: Humans and cyborgs, preferably. No strong evil leader, because that would detract from the capabilities of the individuals.

2. Sleek and angular, to underline their stealthy nature. 

3. Black is a given, the rest is hard. The original is great, but maybe other combinations like silver- tr. white- tr. purple? 

4. A large mining corporation, a weapon manufacturer and an alien invasion swarm/mothership.  

Trans. Purple would make for an interesting pairing with Black, not to mention that canopies in that color are few; but I think maybe such a color combination would be more suited for an alien incarnation of Blacktron instead.

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So, @just2good has gotten his hands on 75176 Resistance Transport Pod; and guess what, the Trans-yellow canopy is STICKERED! :snicker:

 

Edit: On the other hand, the Trans. Red windshield part from 75179 Kylo Ren's TIE Fighter is printed according to @just2good's set review; but hey, the prints actually aren't that bad, I think they will complement well with a SP1 MOC. :classic:

 

Edited by Digger of Bricks

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Hey everyone! Share your thoughts about Space on my poll located in the General Lego discussion forum.

 

 

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On 8/19/2017 at 7:45 AM, Digger of Bricks said:

So, @just2good has gotten his hands on 75176 Resistance Transport Pod; and guess what, the Trans-yellow canopy is STICKERED! :snicker:

Ohh yeah baby! So many great MOCS will be made!

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So, you are probably all aware of the Joker Manor by now... and I feel bad for repeating it for the millionth time, but: it contains rollercoaster elements! :tongue: Pic for reference:

Spoiler

70922_Front_01.jpg

Just thinking out loud here: what happens if you take a light grey, elongated-circle track with gentle slopes, and slap a train on the carts? Oh hey, next year has an anniversary line... You know where this is going, don't you? :wink:

Talking about the physical, confirmed stuff: take a look at those window panes: trans yellow and regular trans green (which was a subject here not too long ago IIRC)! Should be useful. :classic:

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55 minutes ago, Exetrius said:
  Reveal hidden contents

70922_Front_01.jpg

Just thinking out loud here: what happens if you take a light grey, elongated-circle track with gentle slopes, and slap a train on the carts? Oh hey, next year has an anniversary line... You know where this is going, don't you? :wink:

 

A monorail set with two rails? :)

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2 hours ago, Exetrius said:

So, you are probably all aware of the Joker Manor by now... and I feel bad for repeating it for the millionth time, but: it contains rollercoaster elements! :tongue: Pic for reference:

  Reveal hidden contents

70922_Front_01.jpg

Just thinking out loud here: what happens if you take a light grey, elongated-circle track with gentle slopes, and slap a train on the carts? Oh hey, next year has an anniversary line... You know where this is going, don't you? :wink:

Talking about the physical, confirmed stuff: take a look at those window panes: trans yellow and regular trans green (which was a subject here not too long ago IIRC)! Should be useful. :classic:

I would love to see the track parts turned into a Mtron mining cart! That would be awesome!

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11 hours ago, Exetrius said:

So, you are probably all aware of the Joker Manor by now... and I feel bad for repeating it for the millionth time, but: it contains rollercoaster elements! :tongue: Pic for reference:

  Reveal hidden contents

70922_Front_01.jpg

Just thinking out loud here: what happens if you take a light grey, elongated-circle track with gentle slopes, and slap a train on the carts? Oh hey, next year has an anniversary line... You know where this is going, don't you? :wink:

Talking about the physical, confirmed stuff: take a look at those window panes: trans yellow and regular trans green (which was a subject here not too long ago IIRC)! Should be useful. :classic:

I didn't notice the window panes. Awesome!

As for the roller coaster, the cars grip the track much like a monorail grips its track. But I don't see any way to motorize it. Also I don't even see wheels on those cars -- maybe they just slide along? Also the cars are too small.

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3 hours ago, danth said:

I didn't notice the window panes. Awesome!

As for the roller coaster, the cars grip the track much like a monorail grips its track. But I don't see any way to motorize it. Also I don't even see wheels on those cars -- maybe they just slide along? Also the cars are too small.

Unless they make some sort of universal car base that can be built upon, there aren't a lot of options. :sceptic:

Also there are wheels on the cars. Four for each car.

As for a space mining cart system, it would be cool if the track was done in a transparent color to represent a sort of "energy rail". That would be so cool!

 

Edited by LegoMonorailFan

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5 hours ago, danth said:

But I don't see any way to motorize it.

Unless it had a massive propellor? Wouldn't look very scifi.

Same problem as the Friends rollercoaster.

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1 hour ago, Artanis I said:

Unless it had a massive propellor? Wouldn't look very scifi.

Same problem as the Friends rollercoaster.

Could someone please tell me why Lego hasn't made a straight track piece for the "narrow gauge" train/rollercoaster track system? It's been around for awhile, and they definitely still use it. :sceptic: 

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10 hours ago, LegoMonorailFan said:

Could someone please tell me why Lego hasn't made a straight track piece for the "narrow gauge" train/rollercoaster track system? It's been around for awhile, and they definitely still use it. :sceptic: 

Probably just not enough sets that use it that really can't do without a straight piece. I believe LEGO did file patents for a narrow-gauge straight track alongside their patents for the curved and sloped tracks, much like they filed patents for alternate die designs for the LEGO Games series (like dice with 1x1 and 3x3 faces).

All this talk of potential uses for non-monorail tracks in Space themes really makes me wonder how much of monorail's popularity with Space fans is due to the concept of monorails specifically and how much is just nostalgia for them because they're a thing Space themes once had that they now don't. Or to frame it differently, if Futuron and Unitron had used regular train tracks instead, would the monorail nostalgia be replaced by space train nostalgia? If they'd used a tube transport system like Life on Mars or Mars Mission, would the monorail nostalgia be replaced with nostalgia for that system? If "yes" to any of these, then it becomes a lot easier to understand why kids who lack that nostalgia for the classic era generally don't give a flying flip about monorails.

To motorize the new roller coasters, theoretically you might be able create a lift chain with small Technic chain links that wraps around the rail ties of one of the elevated sections and is driven by a gear underneath the rail ties. And then you could use gravity for the downward movement. But while that might work for actual roller coasters, it probably wouldn't feel very plausible for something that's meant to be a vehicle rather than just a thrill ride.

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19 hours ago, danth said:

I didn't notice the window panes. Awesome!

As for the roller coaster, the cars grip the track much like a monorail grips its track. But I don't see any way to motorize it. -snip-  Also the cars are too small.

Why too small? I'm pretty sure the carts can be used as bogeys for the carriages. For motorization, you can then put power functions in the carriage to drive a rubber "cheater wheel" system. Only in theory of course, don't know if that would work in practice.

 

1 hour ago, Aanchir said:

All this talk of potential uses for non-monorail tracks in Space themes really makes me wonder how much of monorail's popularity with Space fans is due to the concept of monorails specifically and how much is just nostalgia for them because they're a thing Space themes once had that they now don't. Or to frame it differently, if Futuron and Unitron had used regular train tracks instead, would the monorail nostalgia be replaced by space train nostalgia? If they'd used a tube transport system like Life on Mars or Mars Mission, would the monorail nostalgia be replaced with nostalgia for that system? If "yes" to any of these, then it becomes a lot easier to understand why kids who lack that nostalgia for the classic era generally don't give a flying flip about monorails.

Asking the right questions, there! I had a book with all kinds of vehicles and means of transport, in which I saw a monorail for the first time. Whenever I played with my wooden railway (you know, the Brio one), I made elevated track supported by blocks. I was first exposed to LEGO monorails when I was 10 (in 2007), as part of a MOC at a fan convention, which had me fascinated! What's so compelling about monorails, and which sets it apart from the regular railway system, is three-dimensional transport. It can connect street level with the fifth story of a building and is compact enough to run through a LEGO city (this was basically my childhood dream). In the same way, the narrow track in the Temple of Doom set is appealing.

I think this 3D transport would appeal to kids nowadays just as much. Look at how popular mine cart tracks are in Minecraft! They take you up and down; from deep caves, through the sky, around your village, to the top of your mountain base. Enough proof for assuming that 3D transport speaks to the imagination of kids, who lack that nostalgia factor. :classic:

 

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I played with Brio trains in kindergarten, and while most of it sat on the floor there were also bridges. The track wasn't too wide. Later on I had Micro-Machine trains, and used boxes to elevate the track, which had very compact width.

 

I imagine that if the Space monorails had instead been standard train tracks, there wouldn't be as much interest in them, they're just like normal trains. (Trains are cool, but the monorail trains are cooler!) For me, the big attractions to Lego monorail are the much narrower track, and the multi-storey elevation. Real-life monorails that I've been on were all elevated on pylons, and you could almost look down right underneath the rail at the open ground. Most normal trains are on the ground floor or have a very solid bridge or tunnel that takes away the wow factor of its non-ground-floor-ness. (Standard) Lego trains are even more limited in that elevation isn't really practical - no real bridge or tunnel underground ability, and the track is really wide.

Sure there is the strong link of "I wasn't there, I don't really care" lack-of-nostalgia factor with kids but the superior coolness of monorail over standard Lego track still remains!

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12 hours ago, Aanchir said:

Probably just not enough sets that use it that really can't do without a straight piece. I believe LEGO did file patents for a narrow-gauge straight track alongside their patents for the curved and sloped tracks, much like they filed patents for alternate die designs for the LEGO Games series (like dice with 1x1 and 3x3 faces).

All this talk of potential uses for non-monorail tracks in Space themes really makes me wonder how much of monorail's popularity with Space fans is due to the concept of monorails specifically and how much is just nostalgia for them because they're a thing Space themes once had that they now don't. Or to frame it differently, if Futuron and Unitron had used regular train tracks instead, would the monorail nostalgia be replaced by space train nostalgia? If they'd used a tube transport system like Life on Mars or Mars Mission, would the monorail nostalgia be replaced with nostalgia for that system? If "yes" to any of these, then it becomes a lot easier to understand why kids who lack that nostalgia for the classic era generally don't give a flying flip about monorails.

To motorize the new roller coasters, theoretically you might be able create a lift chain with small Technic chain links that wraps around the rail ties of one of the elevated sections and is driven by a gear underneath the rail ties. And then you could use gravity for the downward movement. But while that might work for actual roller coasters, it probably wouldn't feel very plausible for something that's meant to be a vehicle rather than just a thrill ride.

Wow. Thanks for answering that man! I've wondered that for so long. So if they might have filed patents for a part like that, then maybe there's still a chance they'll make the part.

 

As for monorails, personally I'm more a fan of "custom built, functioning Lego rail systems" then I am a fan of monorails. But monorails are just cool. I don't know why. :grin:

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The monorail at Epcot in Florida is a big one for me.  I also rode Space Mountain, and Epcot is a very futuristic place.  Visiting as a kid in the 80's has impressed upon me that idea that monorails are futuristic.

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