LEGO Sci-Fi Ongoing - Rumors, Speculation, and Discussion

[Killian]

1 hour ago, Aanchir said:

Whoever convinced you that was the reason schools started using whiteboards instead of blackboards was either pulling your leg or mired in conspiratorial thinking. As somebody who grew up with both whiteboards and blackboards in school, the main reason that whiteboards began gaining favor over blackboards around the 90s is that whiteboard markers produce less airborne dust than chalk. Chalk dust can not only create issues for people with asthma or certain allergies, but there were also a lot of concerns in the 90s that it might damage newly-installed computers (which were still a pretty huge investment for schools that had them) by clogging their fans.

But even by the time I first entered grade school, most chalkboards in classrooms were made of steel with a dark green enamel coating, rather than black slate (since steel chalkboards are considerably lighter and less fragile than slate ones). As such, the term "blackboard" was already sort of a misnomer by that time — making it even less plausible to attribute the rising popularity of whiteboards to racial sensitivity. It's not like we had any dark green students or teachers dictating what surfaces we should write on!

Anyway, if anything, the term "Blacktron" calls to mind espionage-related terms like "black ops" or "black sites". It certainly has no more racial connotations than the Black Falcons from LEGO Castle or the Black Order from Marvel.

Dark Green Students would be awesome!  

[Killian]

2 hours ago, Aanchir said:

Whoever convinced you that was the reason schools started using whiteboards instead of blackboards was either pulling your leg or mired in conspiratorial thinking. As somebody who grew up with both whiteboards and blackboards in school, the main reason that whiteboards began gaining favor over blackboards around the 90s is that whiteboard markers produce less airborne dust than chalk. Chalk dust can not only create issues for people with asthma or certain allergies, but there were also a lot of concerns in the 90s that it might damage newly-installed computers (which were still a pretty huge investment for schools that had them) by clogging their fans.

Never heard the dust/computer reasons before, it makes more sense though. I've only ever heard lots of people in this country citing the race allegation, wonder if it's some sort of widespread urban legend?

[AstroFalcon]

Where does the -tron actually come from? I'm not familiar with much space terminology so forgive me if it's obvious.

[GeoBrick]

7 hours ago, Killian said:

Never heard the dust/computer reasons before, it makes more sense though. I've only ever heard lots of people in this country citing the race allegation, wonder if it's some sort of widespread urban legend?

Well, its certainly no widespread urban legend in my country. But then again, the word "black" doesn't come into the word in my language. ;)

[Khargeust]

So what about continuing the Space theme with an upcoming new subtheme ? It's been 10 years since Galaxy Squad was released...
Do you think that day will finally come or are the classic themes, like Castle and Pirates, definitely dead, and can only marginally return in the form of anniversary sets for example ? Yes I know, huge debate...

[Lyichir]

8 hours ago, AstroFalcon said:

Where does the -tron actually come from? I'm not familiar with much space terminology so forgive me if it's obvious.

I assume from "electron"/"electronic".

[Oky]

9 hours ago, AstroFalcon said:

Where does the -tron actually come from? I'm not familiar with much space terminology so forgive me if it's obvious.

The suffix ‘tron’ was commonly used in the 80’s. According to this article, it was a symbol of scientific supremacy and control - which is very fitting for Blacktron. 

[danth]

2 hours ago, Oky said:

The suffix ‘tron’ was commonly used in the 80’s. According to this article, it was a symbol of scientific supremacy and control - which is very fitting for Blacktron. 

Nice article, thanks for the link!

[AstroFalcon]

14 hours ago, Oky said:

The suffix ‘tron’ was commonly used in the 80’s. According to this article, it was a symbol of scientific supremacy and control - which is very fitting for Blacktron. 

Very cool, thanks!

[Aanchir]

On 1/4/2023 at 1:42 PM, Oky said:

The suffix ‘tron’ was commonly used in the 80’s. According to this article, it was a symbol of scientific supremacy and control - which is very fitting for Blacktron. 

Ooh, neat to see an article that discusses that sort of linguistic trend in such detail! I definitely think it's funny sometimes seeing how Space themes, sets, and characters were named differently in different places and time periods based on the tastes of marketing teams then and there.

For example, American Space set names were often less descriptive of a set's function and contents than British ones, and more prone to "technobabble" and fanciful, vaguely evocative word choices. Just compare America's Blacktron Alienator, Invader, and Battrax to Britain's Blacktron Strider, Cruiser, and Prowler. Or America's M:TRON Pulsar Charger, Beacon Tracer, Vector Detector, Particle Ionizer, and Mega Core Magnetizer with Britain's M:TRON Micro Bike, Inspection Buggy, Search Craft, Cosmicopter, and Recovery Centre.

What purpose is there in a particular ship detecting vectors or ionizing particles? I dunno, but it SOUNDS cool and futuristic, and evidently that's what LEGO's North American marketing department felt would resonate with kids in the late 80s and early 90s. To be honest, I'm pretty glad that the Blacktron Cruiser re-release uses its British name rather than its American name, given how much clearer the British set names at this time were at describing particular vehicle types or classes. "Invader" could refer to any number of different types of spacecraft or ground vehicles, while "Cruiser" more clearly refers to a mid-size interplanetary spacecraft.

Also, back then, even subthemes/factions sometimes had different names from country to country. In Blacktron was [Black Space] in Germany and «Black Star» yes in Denmark and Italy (and yes, the faction name was in English in all three languages). Some British catalogs also referred to the Space Police maintaining "law and order in the endless universe of Black and White Space", using these terms either as synonyms for either the Blacktron and Futuron factions or for the territory they controlled. That said, the name Blacktron was standard in all countries for the faction's subsequent incarnation in 1992.

[danth]

23 minutes ago, Aanchir said:

Just compare America's Blacktron Alienator, Invader, and Battrax to Britain's Blacktron Strider, Cruiser, and Prowler.

I never knew the British names. In this case I prefer Prowler over Battrax. I know what a prowler is, but what the heck is a Battrax?

Alienator, Invader, and Renegade all sound vaguely menacing. Battrax just doesn't fit. Prowler fits in more with the theme, IMO. Like a lurker, right outside your window...

Alienator is like the creepiest name ever. Like a psychological warfare thing. It will make even your dearest friends hate you. Yikes! That naming scheme is what led me to name my Renegade MOC "The Betrayer".

[TeriXeri]

 Pulsar Charger, Beacon Tracer, Vector Detector, Particle Ionizer, and Mega Core Magnetizer  really have a Star Trek ring to it, not to surprising as 1990 was right in the middle of Star Trek : The Next Generation era (1987-1994)

Edited January 6, 2023 by TeriXeri

[Time77]

Does anyone think the blacktron GWP is gonna return like the forestman's hideout GWP? The fact that they still had them in stock when the GWP period ended makes me think they will.

Edited January 23, 2023 by Time77

[RichardGoring]

The Forestman's Hideout GWP was promoted as being available twice from the start (although I suspect most people were caught unawares that it only lasted a day second time around and thought it would be like another full release). They didn't say that for Blacktron, so who knows. It might. Or it could come back as a stealth thing for a few hours, as some have done in the past. Or maybe as a VIP reward for points. Or just not at all.

[Mondo-TRON]

Are there any rumors on a second Blacktron set? I really hope they don't do a one and done. Also with Classic Space.

[Artanis I]

On 1/24/2023 at 5:43 AM, RichardGoring said:

The Forestman's Hideout GWP was promoted as being available twice from the start (although I suspect most people were caught unawares that it only lasted a day second time around and thought it would be like another full release). They didn't say that for Blacktron, so who knows. It might. Or it could come back as a stealth thing for a few hours, as some have done in the past. Or maybe as a VIP reward for points. Or just not at all.

It was available twice!?!? I am going to go on a violent rampage... I've missed it both times!

[RichardGoring]

7 minutes ago, Artanis I said:

It was available twice!?!? I am going to go on a violent rampage... I've missed it both times!

Briefly, when the castle launched. But really briefly. It was gone within a day though, second time around. Many were a bit peeved about it not lasting long.

[Oky]

So, according to Promobricks, the rumored Dreamzzz theme is going to include a $90 set with 878 pcs titled "Mr. Oz’s Spacebus". The theme sounds absolutely bananas, so the set will probably look a lot more wacky than your typical Lego Space craft, but it's something.

 

On 1/29/2023 at 11:46 PM, Mondo-TRON said:

Are there any rumors on a second Blacktron set? I really hope they don't do a one and done. Also with Classic Space.

Nope. It was just a one-and-done which is why it was a GWP, not a real set, just like the Forrestmen Hideout. That doesn't mean they won't have another Space themed GWP again someday, although it probably won't be Blacktron again.

[Lyichir]

Obviously not a classic, unlicensed space theme, but the new Guardians of the Galaxy sets might be of interest to some. The small-ish Rocket Raccoon spaceship in particular has in part 35193 in Trans. Green, a nice angular windscreen that'd be great for late Classic Space or Space Police II MOCs. And the bigger ship uses 52978 in Trans. Red, which hasn't appeared in that color since a 2007 Bionicle playset.

[TeriXeri]

16 minutes ago, Lyichir said:

Obviously not a classic, unlicensed space theme, but the new Guardians of the Galaxy sets might be of interest to some. The small-ish Rocket Raccoon spaceship in particular has in part 35193 in Trans. Green.

It's definately a nice part, especially the shape could serve as part of a Space Police 2 holding cell ( instead of the helicopter window) or just cockpit or side window of course.

At least it shows the color still gets made for larger parts.

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by TeriXeri

[Oky]

6 minutes ago, Lyichir said:

The small-ish Rocket Raccoon spaceship in particular has in part 35193 in Trans. Green, a nice angular windscreen that'd be great for late Classic Space or Space Police II MOCs.

That part looks more trans. bright green to me. But yeah, those sets look great. They’re just the kind of unique, colorful spaceships I would expect to come out of LEGO Space if the theme still existed today. 

[Lyichir]

21 hours ago, Oky said:

That part looks more trans. bright green to me. But yeah, those sets look great. They’re just the kind of unique, colorful spaceships I would expect to come out of LEGO Space if the theme still existed today. 

Ah, you might be right. It's hard to tell—in some of the photos it looks darker than others, moreso than I'm used to with Trans. Bright Green (which I feel like I'm usually much better at discerning). I certainly won't mind Trans. Bright Green (it's a color I've loved since Atlantis, and the angular shape of this one would be great for Monkie Kid MOCs). But Trans. Bright Green is less useful for "authentic" classic color schemes.

[jonwil]

I want the windscreen from the Lightyear spaceship (and the Blactron GWP) in trans-red. Would be perfect for Space Police MOCs.

 

[Killian]

9 hours ago, jonwil said:

I want the windscreen from the Lightyear spaceship (and the Blactron GWP) in trans-red. Would be perfect for Space Police MOCs.

 

There's several trans-red windscreens in the Monkie Kid sets like the Galactic Explorer. Don't think any are the same shape as the Lightyear one though

[jonwil]

Those are not the right shape for Space Police MOCs.