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

[TeriXeri]

Full pictures of the 31117 Space Shuttle are up now on Brickset / LEGO store.

 

Edited May 14, 2021 by TeriXeri

[danth]

That's about as not-sci-fi as you can get.

However, it looks insanely good. I'm not that into NASA-style stuff but wow. All 3 models are great. And, well, white and black rocket pieces are always usable in Classic Space MOCs.

[Feuer Zug]

Wow! 31117 appears to hit three major Creator Expert / 18+ sets in a small set for the kids. Great design and alternate models. Now if they could do that with a Classic Space set to replicate 928, another ship, and maybe a ground station, I would be in heaven.

[TeriXeri]

5 minutes ago, Feuer Zug said:

Now if they could do that with a Classic Space set to replicate 928, another ship, and maybe a ground station, I would be in heaven.

Yeah, If 3-in-1 follows a similar format next year,  I'm hoping the 2022 large set will be a Fantasy Spaceship for sure.

Edited May 21, 2021 by TeriXeri

[TeriXeri]

So the new frozen castle uses many of the smaller Nexo windshields in a new color, so the mould is still there.

However I still wonder if LEGO will ever use the large windshield again in different colors again.

Other non curved windshields still in use might be easier to use with the straight front however. (I posted the red version for contrast)

 

I also wonder if LEGO will ever make a new version of this one , with a bar end instead of the old connector, the Nexo Knights windscreen could somewhat count as a modern version however.

Overall, I'd love to see more colored angled windscreens in a theme like 3in1, and not just trans-black/clear/lightblue.

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by TeriXeri

[Aanchir]

On 6/16/2021 at 9:00 AM, TeriXeri said:

[snip]

Overall, I'd love to see more colored angled windscreens in a theme like 3in1, and not just trans-black/clear/lightblue.

Nice analysis! Even though I haven't made a whole lot of Space MOCs lately, I definitely still get excited any time a brightly colored windscreen shows up in sets like the 2019 Quinjet or the 2020 Mobile Bat Base.

In my case, I'm not so picky about wanting sharp angles for Space windscreens, since I generally prefer trying to "re-imagine" traditional Space factions like Blacktron or Ice Planet in a more modern style (sort of like Space Police 3 and some of the Collectable Minifigures have done) rather than trying to approximate their original design language.

After all, I feel like even some of the designers of those 80s and 90s Space sets might have used more curved parts if they'd been available back then. Sort of like how Aquazone submarines used very angular dome windows, but later sci-fi/fantasy submarines in themes like Alpha Team, Atlantis, Ninjago, etc. (and for that matter, even the Creator 3-in-1 Underwater Robot) have opted for more curved dome windows.

Of course, I also like curved parts just because smoothing out the corners of a model s a fun challenge for me, regardless of theme. I've spent a couple years now exploring Castle and Forestmen MOC ideas using some of the recent cylindrical panel pieces in place of the angular corner panels that were so ubiquitous in Castle sets of my childhood.

That said, finishing these MOCs is trickier than starting them, since the BrickLink prices for newer parts like these (especially in colors that have only appeared in a few sets) can become very steep very quickly! And I prefer even my digital MOCs to be stuff that I could hypothetically build in real life once I'm happy with their designs.

Edited June 18, 2021 by Aanchir

[icm]

Wee bit of self-promotion here: I also like to build digital MOCs only with parts and colors that really exist, so that it would be possible to actually order the parts and build them if I chose.  The windscreen from the White Dragon Horse Jet 80020 isn't quite the right shade of green, but it still worked really well for finishing my Gamma V Laser Craft 6891 remake:

 

[CP5670]

Trans-green is maybe the hardest color to find new windscreens in. Even trans-neon green stuff is somewhat available since the color was very common at one point, but trans-green has never been common. Trans-yellow and trans-red used to be rare for many years but have become a little more common in the last 5 years.

[Lyichir]

1 hour ago, CP5670 said:

Trans-green is maybe the hardest color to find new windscreens in. Even trans-neon green stuff is somewhat available since the color was very common at one point, but trans-green has never been common. Trans-yellow and trans-red used to be rare for many years but have become a little more common in the last 5 years.

The lack of Trans-green and trans-neon green probably has a lot to do with the introduction of trans-bright green, which has been used a bit more heavily than those other two colors in themes like Atlantis, Nexo Knights, and now Monkie Kid. Personally, nostalgia aside, I tend to prefer trans-bright green as a windscreen color—trans-green often feels too dark and trans-neon green too bright to make out the figs inside clearly, but trans-bright green is a happy medium that, to me at least, feels "glassier" than either of those other two colors. Of course, sometimes you do want a more "tinted" windscreen color that obscures the occupants.

Trans-neon orange was lucky to get a brief resurgence in Nexo Knights and then Monkie Kid before sadly seeming to be retired this year. I feel a little similarly about it as I do about Trans-neon green, but perhaps a little less so since standard trans-orange sometimes feels a little TOO glassy for some applications, and unlike trans-bright green it doesn't fluoresce (at least not consistently). So, for instance, trans bright green feels like a decent substitute for Blacktron, but regular trans-orange on an Ice Planet MOC feels like a poorer substitute.

[TeriXeri]

Another thing I noticed that might be used on Sci-Fi / Fantasy type of sets could be the new 2 wide spring loaded shooter in 2020, and 2021 City Fire introduced a fully transparent projectile which means they can have other variants in other transparent colors.

[Aanchir]

4 hours ago, CP5670 said:

Trans-green is maybe the hardest color to find new windscreens in. Even trans-neon green stuff is somewhat available since the color was very common at one point, but trans-green has never been common. Trans-yellow and trans-red used to be rare for many years but have become a little more common in the last 5 years.

There was a brief period in the late 90s when Tr. Green windows and windscreens had a bit of a renaissance in Hydronauts, Insectoids, and Town Police sets. But its use abruptly declined around the time that Tr. Brown (Trans-Black on BrickLink) was introduced as a more realistic option for tinted glass in "real-world" or "near-future" settings.

The last time I remember seeing a cool new windscreen mold in Tr. Green was 75973 from the Overwatch theme. It probably doesn't help that from 2010 onward there have been two other transparent green colors for designers to choose from (both of which are a little easier to see through by virtue of being lighter), or that the various sets we've seen featuring throwbacks to the Classic Space theme tend to use the AFOL-preferred blue/grey/yellow color scheme instead of the grey/green color scheme from sets like the Solar Power Transporter.

1 hour ago, TeriXeri said:

Another thing I noticed that might be used on Sci-Fi / Fantasy type of sets could be the new 2 wide spring loaded shooter in 2020, and 2021 City Fire introduced a fully transparent projectile which means they can have other variants in other transparent colors.

Aw dang, good call! I hadn't even thought about that possibility, but that projectile would be great as a heavy laser cannon. Or for that matter, even as flamethrowers or fireballs in more of a fantasy context. I wouldn't be surprised if LEGO even created it with some of those sorts of potential future uses in mind, seeing as they opted not to give it a specific "watery" shape or texture.

[CP5670]

I have a bunch of trans green canopies from SP2 and Hydronauts/Insectoids, but those parts are becoming hard to get now and as you said, the color largely disappeared after 2000. It's a dark color like trans-blue but goes well with primary colors that contrast with it, like gray or white.

I like trans orange and bright green, but they look quite different from the other colors and are not really a substitute.

[ThomusBean]

On 6/19/2021 at 8:07 AM, Lyichir said:

The lack of Trans-green and trans-neon green probably has a lot to do with the introduction of trans-bright green, which has been used a bit more heavily than those other two colors in themes like Atlantis, Nexo Knights, and now Monkie Kid. Personally, nostalgia aside, I tend to prefer trans-bright green as a windscreen color—trans-green often feels too dark and trans-neon green too bright to make out the figs inside clearly, but trans-bright green is a happy medium that, to me at least, feels "glassier" than either of those other two colors. Of course, sometimes you do want a more "tinted" windscreen color that obscures the occupants.

Trans-neon orange was lucky to get a brief resurgence in Nexo Knights and then Monkie Kid before sadly seeming to be retired this year. I feel a little similarly about it as I do about Trans-neon green, but perhaps a little less so since standard trans-orange sometimes feels a little TOO glassy for some applications, and unlike trans-bright green it doesn't fluoresce (at least not consistently). So, for instance, trans bright green feels like a decent substitute for Blacktron, but regular trans-orange on an Ice Planet MOC feels like a poorer substitute.

Totally agree. Would love to see the trans-neon green and trans-neon orange in all the modern windscreen shapes. I often keep a black light handy when I am doing M:tron, Blacktron and Ice Planet builds to get a good feel for the way those parts will fluoresce. 

[Captain Mutant]

Hello all - I know this isn't Classic Space, but it's sci-fi.... anyone fancy a trip through the Stargate? :)

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/fb062593-0453-4752-bbe1-4a28a23ab642

 

[Legocionado]

Well, you are right in the sense that I bought all of these through Bricklink and being an Afol I loved that theme. To tell you the truth my son and his friends (aged 10 to 12) were playing with these sets and loved them as well. And I do have a lot Lego Star Wars around. Actually they did not play with any Lego set the way they played with these ones: SWOOSH!!!

But I do not know, maybe Space is dead, maybe not or maybe dying. Personally I like Star Wars but I am not getting the 12th version of some star wars set anymore. Instead I really tried bringing back Lego Space in some way and built a massive 3in1 space creator set (massive if you get the set 3 times) and put it in LegoIdeas. To tell you the truth, it did get a 1000 supports but the support is slowing down a lot. If you are interested in it check there for "Antares". Here is the link:

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/447bf8bd-a7e8-4c0d-9918-59c668b23018

Best

Giorgio

Edited September 12, 2021 by Legocionado

[TeriXeri]

I just finished 31117 and it's lovely.

I kind of forgot 80020: White Dragon Horse Jet exists, probably one of the better Space-ish sets of 2021 especially in terms of Angled parts.

Will probably pick it up next time LEGO.com has some offer for holiday seasons.

Edited October 4, 2021 by TeriXeri

[Lion King]

I don’t know how likely it will be if we still have Star Wars theme around. Of course, City does have a space subtheme . Anyways, I would love to see another in-house Space theme, like Galazy Squard, Mars Mission, Ice Planet, Blacktron, etc. 

I mean I just want to see Lego being more creative to come up with a new Space theme, along with Castle, Viking, Pirates, Western, etc.