Harry Potter 2010 discussion thread

[BearHeart]

Question, has anyone else with Freeing Dobby noticed after a being used a few times, his printed eyes RUB OFF ?

Looks like I'm placing a call to Lego then for a replacement - it's only two week old !

Wow, that sucks!

But I can imagine that the printed soft plastic pieces are pretty delicate.

[Mr Spielbrick]

Yeah, my Dobby lost some of his eyesight when I tried to rub dirt off his nose, straight out of the plastic bag out of the box... Rather disappointing in terms of the apparent printing quality. One certainly pays enough to get a toy that will last years, not seconds.

All the others figures and tiles have excellent printing, that must be said. The current Harry Potter line is brilliant, I think. I wish it could go on for a few more waves, but I'm very thankful for what we've got.

[Sandy]

I just received my order that included Dobby's Release, Hagrid's Hut, the Burrows and the Hogwarts Castle, and I have to say I'm in LEGO heaven. Sooooo high on bricks now, hehe!

I've built everything except the Hogwarts, which I'm opening up as soon as I finish this message. Believe me, the pictures don't do enough justice for these amazing sets. Especially the Burrows is so chockfull of brilliant details that you simply have to experience it yourself before realizing just how wonderful it is.

Okay, enough of the praises, time to build some more.

[Commander Keller]

I just came to the stunning realization that there are no other wizarding houses in the harry potter sets.

Anyone else feel like there should be "wizard packs" or something like it for each house? I would really like to see some Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff characters with school uniforms. (I'm looking at you Cho and Ernie Macmillan).

Just had a brilliant idea. Have hufflepuff and ravenclaw quidditch hogwarts class builder sets. Imagine the stands during the movies with the different house colors. Four or five minifigs per set and the set includes house flags and colored bricks. Maybe combine them all to make a quidditch stadium? Then expand that for a brilliant great hall set or something. Anybody agree?

[Aanchir]

The thing with the printing of heads and such has happened to me a few times with Dobby (The new fig) , 2 Spongebob Headpieces, The magician from Series 1 of the collectible minifigures , as well as the cheekbone of the pharoh from series 2 . The minifigs that happens with are usually made in China, but I'm not entirely sure about the Spongebob headpiece.

The original Spongebob headpiece was in 2006, so it was before Chinese manufacture of parts even began. No idea if they would have moved production to the Chinese plant for future waves.

As I've said, only time this has happened to me is with the Patrick headpiece from the Spongebob theme, one time when I left it in my pocket. Never made that mistake since (today when I want to carry a minifigure anywhere I'll put it in a plastic film canister-- works like a charm!).

You're correct though that Dobby's head is probably made in China. That's where most parts with what I'd consider "advanced printing" are made-- for instance, Toy Story figures' heads, many collectible minifigure parts like the maracas, Space Police alien heads, and Atlantis sea creature heads/helmets. It stands to reason that Dobby's head would come from the same source.

Good thing, of course, is that unlike the collectible minifig parts, Harry Potter parts can be replaced by Customer Service. So I'd recommend that. I can't guarantee that the replacement would be any better in terms of quality, but at least you'd know to treat it very delicately (an excessive demand for a toy like LEGO, certainly, but I'm sure a time-tested AFOL will be able to put forth that extra effort if it's for the good of their collection).

Also, Commander Keller, keep in mind that most characters from houses other than Griffindor and Slytherin are side characters. Cho is arguably a noteworthy Ravenclaw, but other characters have small roles in the books and even smaller roles in the movies. LEGO is probably making a smart business move by choosing to make figs only of those characters that fans are most likely to recognize.

That argument applies even more for characters in Quidditch uniforms. The movies basically eliminated any Quidditch game that wasn't between Griffindor and Slytherin, so casual fans would be even less familiar with the characters and outfits those sort of sets would depict. I do think a Cho Chang fig in standard school uniform would be a nice one to have in some set (especially since there's a microfig that seems to bear her likeness), and it would be nice if some set offered Hufflepuff uniforms as well. But the trick is making it so that the set and minifigures can strike a chord with even the most casual of fans.

[Nick Wolfe]

Also, Commander Keller, keep in mind that most characters from houses other than Griffindor and Slytherin are side characters. Cho is arguably a noteworthy Ravenclaw, but other characters have small roles in the books and even smaller roles in the movies. LEGO is probably making a smart business move by choosing to make figs only of those characters that fans are most likely to recognize.

That argument applies even more for characters in Quidditch uniforms. The movies basically eliminated any Quidditch game that wasn't between Griffindor and Slytherin, so casual fans would be even less familiar with the characters and outfits those sort of sets would depict. I do think a Cho Chang fig in standard school uniform would be a nice one to have in some set (especially since there's a microfig that seems to bear her likeness), and it would be nice if some set offered Hufflepuff uniforms as well. But the trick is making it so that the set and minifigures can strike a chord with even the most casual of fans.

I do believe that Luna Lovegood is a much bigger, and by no account "side," Ravenclaw character than Cho Chang. And Cedric Diggory, as much as I despise Robert Pattinson, deserves a minifig, as he and a very big role in GoF, and never was blessed with one in the original GoF line. And anyone who has read the 7th book knows very well how big a part Ravenclaws play.

Lego would make an even smarter business to true Potter fans, there are a truly great number of them. If they released sets that just had minor, or major students, a lot of people would buy a lot of these sets. Who on this forum would buy one or more of those of those if released?

[minifgure_fan]

Aanchir-

According to the "components made in" side of a Dino Attack box (Circa 2005), parts of it (most likely the Dino) were made in china. So after all, parts were apparently made in china before 2006.

MF out

[Aanchir]

I do believe that Luna Lovegood is a much bigger, and by no account "side," Ravenclaw character than Cho Chang. And Cedric Diggory, as much as I despise Robert Pattinson, deserves a minifig, as he and a very big role in GoF, and never was blessed with one in the original GoF line. And anyone who has read the 7th book knows very well how big a part Ravenclaws play.

Lego would make an even smarter business to true Potter fans, there are a truly great number of them. If they released sets that just had minor, or major students, a lot of people would buy a lot of these sets. Who on this forum would buy one or more of those of those if released?

True, and I'll admit I had forgotten that Luna was a Ravenclaw. So perhaps she's a noteworthy character who could be given a Ravenclaw uniform in a future set. Admittedly, her presence in more recent films will help improve her familiarity with buyers compared to Cho, whose presence outside of her OotP romantic subplot was greatly diminished in the movies.

Cedric Diggory would be an interesting character, but I can't imagine what scenes he could be immortalized in in a LEGO set. His most noteworthy scenes were of course from the Triwizard Tournament, and covering that in a set would restrict the set's coverage to a single book/film. Plus, he wouldn't be wearing a standard Hufflepuff uniform in those scenes.

Aanchir-

According to the "components made in" side of a Dino Attack box (Circa 2005), parts of it (most likely the Dino) were made in china. So after all, parts were apparently made in china before 2006.

MF out

That's surprising. Wish there were a website that compiled these sort of details that builders tend to ignore when building a set for the first time (i.e. age range, source of parts, etc). I suppose the reason I wasn't familiar with sets at that time using Chinese parts is that most of my actual online discussions at that point concerned BIONICLE sets, not System sets, so I was relying on BIONICLE canisters and boxes any time a quality issue emerged where people blamed the geographic source of the parts.

Can you specify which Dino Attack sets were credited to Chinese production, if not all of them? If it was indeed all of them, then that would be noteworthy since it would as you said imply Chinese production for the Dinos in general. And that would be uncannily like a large selection of parts that are produced in China today-- specifically, parts with extensive printing on irregularly-shaped surfaces.

I imagine the Dino Attack wasn't at the same plant as current Chinese parts, since LEGO press releases as recently as 2008 failed to list China as a source of production (notably, in 2008 LEGO declared that they had completed insourcing of parts, establishing complete control of production in all of their factories). Perhaps I'll look at various sets' boxes when I'm home and make an Excel spreadsheet showing where parts were produced for which years and which themes. Although I can't guarantee I'd have kept those parts of the boxes-- since childhood I've cut up boxes rather than just compressing them flat, which in retrospect seems like a rather stupid move in most cases.

[minifgure_fan]

Well, pretty much the only Dino Attack set I've ever owned (7474) said it, so I don't know about any others.

MF out

[lightningtiger]

G'day everyone, I have contacted Lego and once I give them the part number out of the instructions they'll send me a new Dobby head and then I hope - NO MORE RUB OFF's.....maybe I'll have to apply some varnish to it eh ?

Keep on ....casting spells !

[10or]

I still love seeing that Hogwarts Castle is on back order still at S@H!

[Nick Wolfe]

I still love seeing that Hogwarts Castle is on back order still at S@H!

May I ask why exactly?

[Clone OPatra]

G'day everyone, I have contacted Lego and once I give them the part number out of the instructions they'll send me a new Dobby head and then I hope - NO MORE RUB OFF's.....maybe I'll have to apply some varnish to it eh ?

Keep on ....casting spells !

Just don't touch it! It's not very difficult to avoid the eyes.

May I ask why exactly?

Perhaps the fact that it's backordered means that it's selling well, which could be a sign to TLG that making more HP sets is a good option. However, knowing that it takes years to design LEGO sets, I'm sure they already decided a long time ago if more sets are coming after these or not.

[It All Ends Here]

Is the alternative building instruction of the Burrow already shown somewhere?

Edited October 18, 2010 by It All Ends Here

[The Soup Nazi]

Is the alternative building instruction of the Burrow already shown somewhere?

There's an alternative build to it? I bought it and it had no alternative build.

I'm confused

[Clone OPatra]

The alternative build is something that was mentioned in the LEGO catalog (U.S. edition anyway), but I don't think anybody ever got it. The catalog said that you would get the instructions if you preordered all six sets, but people who did so have said that they didn't receive any instructions.

[The Soup Nazi]

The alternative build is something that was mentioned in the LEGO catalog (U.S. edition anyway), but I don't think anybody ever got it. The catalog said that you would get the instructions if you preordered all six sets, but people who did so have said that they didn't receive any instructions.

Ahh. Okay. Thanks. I bet it's going to be a small hut or something along those lines.

Edited October 18, 2010 by The Soup Nazi

[lightningtiger]

Just don't touch it! It's not very difficult to avoid the eyes.

Er, my son touched it....not me, he want Dobby to do a Star Wars come Harry Potter story in his playroom.....well it that what Lego's for ?

I'm a conformist! !

[Aanchir]

Just don't touch it! It's not very difficult to avoid the eyes.

While this is the logical (and practical) solution, one still has to acknowlege that LEGO parts should be designed so they don't need care this delicate to avoid damage. One has to consider the conditions or expectations other builders are working under, just like how I mentioned in the Hagrid's Hut review that it's a shame when a set only looks good under ideal lighting.

It's something I learned from experience in the BIONICLE fan community, where people complain to no end about a lack of variety in eye colors. The fact is that transparent fluorescent green, blue, and reddish-orange are the most favored because they're the only fluorescent colors LEGO has in their palette anymore, and stand out much better in any lighting condition compared to, say, regular transparent green (which lacks the same "glowing" property). In 2001 there was a greater variety of eye colors since two specialized colors, Transparent Fluorescent Red and Transparent Fluorescent Yellow, existed at the time, but LEGO realized that having a sprawling color palette with some colors never used outside a single theme was an unsustainable design choice. Fans, however, didn't quite get the message, petitioning regularly for LEGO to bring back these eye colors as well as colors like bright bluish green that had long since been taken out of production.

Blah. Rambling again. Just wanted to sort of explain my standpoint with LEGO sets having to adhere to a certain quality even in less-than-ideal conditions or treatment. After all, not all fans are AFOLs, and just as with Duplo parts with their plentiful safety considerations, LEGO parts must be designed to anticipate a certain amount of accidental misuse.

[iviViolence]

Oh I just saw the express has now a little animation like all the other sets on the lego page :D

[CDC]

Guys, what kind of quality are figs from this line, the usual or the same as those collectable minifigures ?

[Oky]

They're the same kind of quality as any other figs, though I don't think they're Made In China as the collectable figs (except for Dobby's head), if that's what you're asking.

By the way, is anyone else annoyed that there's no Draco key chain? That would have been a nice way to get him in his uniform.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Oky Wan Kenobi

[Clone OPatra]

Guys, what kind of quality are figs from this line, the usual or the same as those collectable minifigures ?

Quality is totally normal. The only figs like those in the collectible series are the ones in the magnet packs.

[Brickviller]

NEw pictueres of the interiors of the new set made at LEgoworld NL

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29135598@N07/5104404558/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29135598@N07/5104403182/

[Ravenclaw2010]

@Ravenclaw2010

Are you trying to convey something in the above quote ?

No, sorry it was just my first post and I didn't really know how the whole thing worked. Sorry for any confusion!