Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[Blazej_Holen]

Just now, legocruncher said:

The pavement goes round the corner and up the stairs so it is kinda a corner

No its not. Not even "kinda"... 

[paupadros]

10 hours ago, RogerSmith said:

emergency! 2018 Street View 10260 restaurant decryption!

Foreign websites have just decrypted the upcoming 2018 Street View 10260!

There is currently no more detailed drawings, I believe we will see the latest intelligence on Monday. It appears that next year's latest street view is redesigned, not engraved.

However, I was very excited when I first saw this street view. After all, is chasing the series every year. However, read more, I think there is no resistance before the series.

Take a look at the calendar series below the calendar year, the most brilliant is 10243 and 10246 of it.

 

Google translate at its best! Don't wanna ruin your party, but although this looks real, "streetview" is the-chinese-brand-that-shall-not-be-named's name for modulars.

Edited November 19, 2017 by paupadros

[nikhkin]

This is no more a "corner modular" than the Parisian Restaurant. It is just access to the stairway.

 

As with many other people, this wasn't what I would have expected, but I will be getting it. It doesn't quite feel right with the others in the series to me, but it is still a good looking building. 

Just now, paupadros said:

Googgle translate at its best! Don't wanna ruin your party, but although this looks real, "streetview" is the-chinese-brand-that-shall-not-be-named's name for modulars.

Could that just be the way the Chinese word for the modulars translates in all cases, not just for "that brand"?

Edited November 19, 2017 by nikhkin

[paupadros]

Just now, nikhkin said:

Could that just be the way the Chinese word for the modulars translates in all cases, not just for "that brand"?

Could be the case too!

Upon further inspection, the façade is made out of tiles. Now I'm wondering how the tiles between windows are placed. There's just one brick! Either a new piece that is like BB's for the ground floor coloumns but horizontal (the this brick but horizontal) or the good old classic Headlight brick on its side. The second one, though, wouldn't allow flooring right against it...

And since this is real, as somebody posted, it's on Brickset's database, how are the floors removable? Someone mentioned clips and pins to hide the joint, but I don't get what you mean. Also, another option would be having the floors being removed like the roof on the Kwik-e-Mart.

[Agent 86]

Wow. Jim’s Diner and Gym (?) looks pretty interesting.

If real, it seems to represent a new direction for the Modular line, embracing more modern designs, unique faces and moving away from some of the Modular staples (e.g. clearly delineated floors).

It’s certainly not what I was hoping for, but it’s a very interesting build with what appear to be a number of innovative techniques.

[legocruncher]

So is the diner fake or a sub brand cause it looks real

[nikhkin]

Just now, Agent 86 said:

embracing more modern designs

It’s certainly not what I was hoping for, but it’s a very interesting build with what appear to be a number of innovative techniques.

It's not significantly more modern. It would still be no later than the 1950s.

Definitely agree about it not being what I would hope for. But we all know we're all going to buy it regardless. 

Just now, legocruncher said:

So is the diner fake or a sub brand cause it looks real

What makes you think it's a "sub brand"? Why can't it just be the next modular?

[legocruncher]

Just now, nikhkin said:

It's not significantly more modern. It would still be no later than the 1950s.

Definitely agree about it not being what I would hope for. But we all know we're all going to buy it regardless. 

What makes you think it's a "sub brand"? Why can't it just be the next modular?

Because it doesn't follow traditions I just got worried

[Blazej_Holen]

Just now, legocruncher said:

Because it doesn't follow traditions I just got worried

Just follow and read past 50 posts at min. That should help you decide if this modular is real or fake. 

[Agent 86]

Just now, nikhkin said:

It's not significantly more modern. It would still be no later than the 1950s.

I understand that, but it’s a bit of a move away from the more ... classical / traditional architecture of the other Modulars, with the limited exception of the Palace Cinema which still reads as potentially 20s or 30s to me.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing, although I do wish they’d finished the “town” in the other style first. Then again, I’m sure everyone has a different idea about what buildings would be necessary to complete the Modular Main Street (e.g. police station, hospital, library, museum, school, post office, apartment building, etc).

[nikhkin]

Just now, legocruncher said:

Because it doesn't follow traditions I just got worried

Pet Shop didn't follow the traditions because it had 2 small buildings. 

Parisian Restaurant didn't follow the traditions because it had a full interior.

Assembly Square didn't follow the traditions because it was 48 studs wide.

 

Things change. The main thing that disappoints me is a move away from the classic faces, but it isn't the end of the world. It's probably a waste of a printing machine to use one for a face not used elsewhere. 

[ReplicaOfLife]

After a night's sleep, I actually like it better than yesterday evening. I might get it after all, but would have to display it apart from all the other modulars, maybe paired with Palace Cinema.

Still a massive Boooo! to the non-smilie faces. Yes, it's easy to swap them, but the clöassic smilie faces were one of the trademarks of the modulars - and who didn't like them could just swap them for overdone modern faces, after all

3 hours ago, DeanLearner said:

Another thought...

Any chance that those tiles on the sides are Cool Yellow (rather than Tan)?

Also, Any idea what is going on in the area by the door to the lower right? I can’t work out whether it’s a extensive sticker/print (possibly involving multiple parts), or whether it’s all just transparent panels/window panes with an unusually well-lit interior behind.

You might be onto something with the color. The side facade of AS is in tan, and it's noticably darker than the front of the diner. And that might not just be down to lighting.

 

Regarding the door area: There's a print or a sticker (hopefully not a sticker! ) on the door. The door is surrounded by transparent 1x1 bricks on the side and larger ones up top, and behind we just see parts of the interior. The interior usually is way brighter than it ought to be on Lego's photography.

17 minutes ago, nikhkin said:

Pet Shop didn't follow the traditions because it had 2 small buildings. 

Parisian Restaurant Fire Brigade didn't follow the traditions because it had a full interior.

Assembly Square didn't follow the traditions because it was 48 studs wide.

 

Things change. The main thing that disappoints me is a move away from the classic faces, but it isn't the end of the world. It's probably a waste of a printing machine to use one for a face not used elsewhere. 

There were full interiors long before the PR.

Edited November 19, 2017 by RogerSmith

[cimddwc]

25 minutes ago, paupadros said:

Upon further inspection, the façade is made out of tiles. Now I'm wondering how the tiles between windows are placed. There's just one brick! Either a new piece that is like BB's for the ground floor coloumns but horizontal (the this brick but horizontal) or the good old classic Headlight brick on its side. The second one, though, wouldn't allow flooring right against it...

I think the tiles are mounted on a plate. Looking at the brown plates at the recessed area, the front part is too thick for just tiles. Also it matches the only slight protrusion of the arches above the windows.

Could it be Cool Yellow, like someone said? Maybe, I think... but the sides of AS look a bit too yellow, too, so it's hard to tell from this image.

[scottwb2010]

11 hours ago, RogerSmith said:

What you see are snotted tiles, not bricks. Absolutely no problem to do this while still having separatable floors.

So if it is snotted tiles, why are there no gaps like in the Assembly Square snotted tiles around the windows or like the tiles on the old fishing store unless it uses plates.

Plus it looks like the windows start at floor level which makes me think again about how they separate the floors and the large window that goes from above the canopy up to the top floor looks to be one complete build and not separatable.

Also if this is real, its the start of a new series of 10 and not meant to join the Assembly square due to 1) the curved canopy of the diner round to the stairs would be hidden and 2) the stairs at the side are set to far back to have the technic connector brick that traditionally is placed at studs 10 and 11!

Edited November 19, 2017 by scottwb2010

[ReplicaOfLife]

Just now, scottwb2010 said:

So if it is snotted tiles, why are there no gaps like in the Assembly Square snotted tiles around the windows or like the tiles on the old fishing store.

Also if this is real, its the start of a new series of 10 and not meant to join the Assembly square due to 1) the curved canopy of the diner round to the stairs would be hidden and 2) the stairs at the side are set to far back to have the technic connector brick that traditionally is placed at studs 10 and 11!

The most likely way is - as cimddwc also pointed out - that they are mounted on plates, which themselves are attached using bricks withstuds on the side. Basically the same technique as the vertically attached 1x6 and 1x4 tiles on the blue building of the Assembly Square.

We don't know how the area in front of the stairs is built, it's hidden by the car. There could be a whole area that's raised by one brick.

[paupadros]

16 minutes ago, scottwb2010 said:

Also if this is real, its the start of a new series of 10 and not meant to join the Assembly square due to 1) the curved canopy of the diner round to the stairs would be hidden and 2) the stairs at the side are set to far back to have the technic connector brick that traditionally is placed at studs 10 and 11!

I did do a modular MOC called "Italian Villa" that had the same issue. Half the building sat behind where the pin is. I just placed a cover for a little garden chainlink fence.

Oh, and somebody has been talking about hew flower studs... Where? On the potted plants? They look like normal hollow 1x1s to me!

Edited November 19, 2017 by paupadros

[Wesley D]

9 hours ago, EddieZ said:

To me the entire Dark Turquoise facade reminds me of a jukebox.

That was my first thought too! It's probably ment this way to complement the era and style of the diner. I wouldn't be surprised if the second floor houses a recording studio.

I didn't know about the color Dark Turquoise. It looks like Bright Bluish Green hasn't been used for a long time. It helps making this modular very cheerful! It's fun to see colors comming back, I hope Sand Red follows sooner or later in a modular building.

 

9 hours ago, jdubbs said:

I've actually been wondering when LEGO would switch to modern faces on the modulars. So many of the CMF minifigs seem tailor-made for use in the modulars that it makes sense to include modern faces in the sets too. Making the switch at the start of the second decade seems as good a time to start as any. 

Not sure if this has been pointed out, but it appears that the gap between bricks/tiles is slightly larger just above the bottom row of yellow windows... which lines up with the joint in the teal green window trim. My guess is that this is where the floors separate.

The change in faces had to happen once to follow the other LEGO lines. The newer ones are nicer and detailed, they are more individualised, but that's also a weakness, as their character is limited to and predistined by the facial expression they have gotten.

I love the nostalgic classic faces with their aspecific and always happy look. Even though they are all the same, it feels to me they can represent so many emotions and characters.

 

9 hours ago, Hippocampe said:

I guess I expected something like a post office, a pharmacy, a hospital / medical clinic or a school...

I hoped LEGO set 10256 to be a big important building for a town, like a school, hospital or train station, but it turned out to be a re-release of the Taj Mahal. After the dissapointement I didn't have high hopes for the new modular. I definately expected something smaller as those mentioned structures would require a footprint much larger than 1 baseplate, so now I'm very happy with this diner because of its details and colors.

 

8 hours ago, Terrasher said:

The lack of tiles and plates between floors is a pretty bad argument regarding whether it is fake or not. Maybe TLG found a way to up their game and use a technique, like SNOT, to hide the tiles and keep the facade tidy?

I'm glad the borderline between two floors has been bypassed this time. It will make a nice variation next to the other modulars. I also like how the tiles represent brickwork! I think they are Brick Yellow, or could they be Cool Yellow?

[paupadros]

Two extra little things:

1. If you take closer inspection, it seems that where the exterior staircase is, there seems to be a third façade hiding behind.

2. The interior of the first floor is a gym, hence the weightlifts (using the same piece than AS's café's oudoors tables).

Edited November 19, 2017 by paupadros

[Boettner Builds]

It's sounds like I'm the ONLY one who doesn't like the classic smiley faces. I have a ziplock baggie full of them from all of my modulars as they are the first thing to be moded after I finish building...

[SollX]

36 minutes ago, scottwb2010 said:

So if it is snotted tiles, why are there no gaps like in the Assembly Square snotted tiles around the windows or like the tiles on the old fishing store unless it uses plates.

Plus it looks like the windows start at floor level which makes me think again about how they separate the floors and the large window that goes from above the canopy up to the top floor looks to be one complete build and not separatable.

Also if this is real, its the start of a new series of 10 and not meant to join the Assembly square due to 1) the curved canopy of the diner round to the stairs would be hidden and 2) the stairs at the side are set to far back to have the technic connector brick that traditionally is placed at studs 10 and 11!

There is no problem building the snotted tiles like that with some perfectly normal bricks.

if you look at the large window, you can see the 2nd level floor. and you can see that the turquiose pieces and snotted tyles also have gap at that same level.
so there is a seperatable floor

about the stairs... we cant see how they start because the car blocs them.

[Wesley D]

The tiles must have been mounted onto bracket parts, which help hide the borders between the floors. Forum member koalayummies did it recently in his MOC Town Bed and Breakfast.

I like the pink color of the car, but I don't like the design and width of this car and the car that came with Palace Cinema. They look oversized to the modular buildings.

Probably it's a problem caused by the size of the modulars themselves. The modulars are designed to be as much as possible building on a single 32x32 baseplate. They represent big buildings, but the space inside doesn't match with what's to expect from the facade. Minifigures don't have a lot of space in the modulars. It's about the scale, but I personally prefer smaller cars next to my modulars.

2 minutes ago, Boettner Builds said:

It's sounds like I'm the ONLY one who doesn't like the classic smiley faces. I have a ziplock baggie full of them from all of my modulars as they are the first thing to be moded after I finish building...

I thought of classic and modern faces not going so well together, but I'm finally over that fase. Now I just hope LEGO won't ever change the yellow skinned minifigures in regular and modular sets into flesh-tones!

[ReplicaOfLife]

55 minutes ago, Boettner Builds said:

It's sounds like I'm the ONLY one who doesn't like the classic smiley faces. I have a ziplock baggie full of them from all of my modulars as they are the first thing to be moded after I finish building...

Too bad you're in the US, otherwise I'd gladly take those off your hands :D

[ElectroDiva]

Hmmm - really not sure if I like this - will have to wait for better pictures to decide (assuming it's not fake). The bottom floor looks pretty good but the second floor looks a bit amateurish. 

 

Also a bit disappointed that we seem to be going further down the 50s American townscape route rather than more European or even neutral buildings

[nikhkin]

Tbh I went down the same thought process for Brick Bank and Detective's Office. For both I thought "urgh, an Americanised building" and for the BB I was annoyed at the laundry (not because it split the building like most, but because there weren't self-service laundries in the 1920s-1930s).

 

I got over my concerns about those and I am sure I will get over my concerns about this one. 

[Bricked1980]

I think as a standalone building it looks pretty good but when combined with the other medulars it would stick out like a saw thumb, especially next to the European styled buildings, Parisian restaurant, assembly square etc. It don't think it would even match up all that well with detectives office and the other American buildings. It just seems too much of a departure from previous designs and styles. Despite this I will reserve judgement until the official images get released, assuming the whole thing isn't fake which I'm now starting to think it probably isn't.