The Jersey Brick Guy

Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

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I agree that they should come out with smaller modulars like the town house from the Pet Shop set. Having these type sets would be great for those wanting to buy a modular but not shell out the money for the larger set and do not have the MOC skills to make their own outside a very basic building.

Speaking of the Pet Shop, TLG should make another splitable set. Maybe even a splitable corner set. :)

Two modular block-end-buildings would be great too.... In this way you do not have to MOC an inverted corner building...

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This thread hurts my heart in so many ways...

Buy and build yourself another PetShop and you'll feel better!

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This thread hurts my heart in so many ways...

I'm just happy to see the thread getting back to talking about modulars... and Lego...

I have started designing my own MOC modular music/book shop, will post some pics soon of some of the elements, still trying to finalise the floor plans.

Ground floor - Music shop, with instruments, etc.

First floor - 2nd hand book shop

Second floor - unsure if it should be a living space or storage/attic deal

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Maybe they'll have two floors with machines, air hockey, prize counter, different kinds of games, etc. Maybe laser tag? Might be too small for that.

EDIT: Oh so it's not an Arcade. :sceptic:

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I like the idea of having two buildings in one, it gives Lego alot of themes to play with.

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DO was not so good to me not only because of small spaces, higher RPP and artificially inflated piece count. It also didn't introduce any colour in fair quantity. The end result looks probably better because of that reason, but I prefer to have a big building having lots of bricks in one colour like TH or PC and not have it divided in 4 different ones like DO had. Anything sand would be great, or bright light yellow, PLEASE!

That way I can do something more with that set later on, MOC wise.

It doesn't matter at all what kind of building it will be, but what parts it will have.

Edited for more clear message :)

Edited by Mestari

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I'd like to see more use of masonry style bricks. On the 'brick linking modulars' thread, someone did a GG using the sand green masonry style green bricks and it actually looks better than the original. The theme of any new modular is largely irrelevant to me but I would prefer a building that has fewer than three uses/tenants. For the future, it would be nice (but probably totally impractical on many levels) for TLG to use some on the modulars seen on Ideas as the basis for future sets.

I'm also waiting for PS to be back in stock. It's a great way to start MOCing as it provides an easy template to work off of and modify. I've used PS instructs as the inspiration for nine MOC residential buildings.

I do miss TH and GE because they had so many elements and colors that work in MOCs. I think I ended up buying a total of 15 GEs and 5 THs. When you start late in life, you have to play 'catch up'.

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I've used PS instructs as the inspiration for nine MOC residential buildings.

Can you share some pictures?

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I think I ended up buying a total of 15 GEs and 5 THs. When you start late in life, you have to play 'catch up'.

This really puts my Lego "addiction" in perspective I guess. In my adult life I would guess I've purchased maybe half as many pieces across all sets as would be in 20 modulars.

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This really puts my Lego "addiction" in perspective I guess. In my adult life I would guess I've purchased maybe half as many pieces across all sets as would be in 20 modulars.

Lived with OCD my entire life. Sometimes, it's fun. Sometimes, well, not so much.

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DO was not so good to me not only because of small spaces, higher RPP and artificially inflated piece count. It also didn't introduce any colour in fair quantity. The end result looks probably better because of that reason, but I prefer to have a big building having lots of bricks in one colour like TH or PC and not have it divided in 4 different ones like DO had. Anything sand would be great, or bright light yellow, PLEASE!

That way I can do something more with that set later on, MOC wise.

It doesn't matter at all what kind of building it will be, but what parts it will have.

Edited for more clear message :)

This is an excellent point. Since the modular line is presented under the "Creator" series, it would imply to me that you could make different things out of a set. Many of the smaller Creator sets do offer a choice of two or even three different designs. I have seen some good alternate builds on other sites involving TH, GE, and PC particularly because they offered a lot of parts with one or two main colors. DO is such a hodgepodge of parts, that if I bought one, it would be very challenging to figure out what else could be MOCed from it without leaving a large quantity of unused parts. I really hope the new modular has one or two dominant colors so that it would offer the potential to try and create something. Maybe the new one will be satisfying enough that I would want one copy of the building itself and then another to create my own building. So far, I have only one each of some of the modulars but would be open to buying multiples if it made a great parts pack for designing something else.

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I can't help but think those cookies in the DO were laced with something. Why else would the detective be busting people for eating cookies? I know the Santa Workshop had the same cookies in it, maybe he is the ring leader or kingpin of cookie crime? Maybe the next modular can be a school and there could be a secret room full of cookie meth dealers. How's that for a story.

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Someone mentioned earlier about having different designers on the project. That may be a good idea, although outside of the story telling and extra detail on the interior, the exterior is still looking well done. They just have to make do with what they have available since they are incorporating a lot of other pieces into it elsewhere. But with different designers, out of the two Astrid has done, there has been a lot of negativity surrounding them, more so than Jamie's builds. So they'd have to include another designer. It makes you wonder, are there are others up to the task of Modular or do they prefer to have other Creator sets as their main focus?

I agree about having more of the same color in different pieces. Something along the lines of PR with the variety in olive green, but in another new color. Cool light yellow definitely would be welcome. Dark brown would be interesting, although probably too dark for noticing details at times.

And ^^ Since Winter village and Modulars are both under the Creator label, maybe they are linking the two in a fun way like that..haha

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Finding a great new modular design is not hard to do. Just look at some of those created by contributors to this thread or to some of those submitted to Lego Ideas. Problem is, I don't know what's a winner and what's a loser based on Legos sales and accounting standards/goals. I fully realize they aren't going to lose money just to make the Ideas modular museum or the Barnes/Noble-Starbucks available to me. That's what took me to MOCs. Large piece count sets with hundreds of similar color structural bricks give me the basis for a nice MOC. Again, that's why I miss GE and TH. I've also purchased plans on eBay for modulars. But, I've only build one based on those plans, so far. I just received about 150 windows off eBay and I'm waiting for my PAB masonry brick order. So, even if I'm disappointed again by the official modular release, I'll have some new ones by the end of the year that, if I don't like them, I'll have only myself to blame.

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Lots of interesting new discussions topics!

@ Off the wall - I'd also like to see pictures of your nine MOC residential Modular buildings. I agree that the Pet Shop seems to provide a great basis for a variety of small stores (e.g. bakery, butcher, fashion store, flower shop, etc) and the Townhouse also seems to provide a great basis for terrace houses.

@ The Executive - I agree. The cookies were obviously laced with something and Ace Brickman had obviously been eating those cookies if he couldn't crack the case since they were baking, transporting and selling the cookies in the very same building as his office! And they were baking the cookies in a kitchen which didn't even have a door separating it from the "common" areas of that building.

@ Rob1321 - I'd also be open to seeing a school building. I've seen some pictures of a Modularised Lego Friends Heartlake High School and it shows that there is definitely potential in the idea. Also, all of those child minifigures from the previous Modular buildings shouldn't just be running wild on the streets!

@ TheLegoDr - It's interesting to me that there is/was negativity about the Town Hall and Palace Cinema, especially given the price of the Town Hall on the secondary market. While neither is my favourite, I quite like both of the buildings.

@ Off the wall - What are the purchased alternate build or new build Modular plans like from Ebay? I looked at downloading some (free) plans for Modular builds and they all seemed to be around 300 pages long and each page would have a single image. They didn't look anything like Lego's instruction manuals. Are the plans on Ebay more like Lego's instruction manuals?

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Go to eBay and search for Lego modular instructions. They're similar to TLG instructions, but not quite as elaborate. I've found them to be adequate. Most are fairly inexpensive, so you don't have a lot to lose by buying one or two of them. Quality will vary by seller and some sellers give you a few sample photos.

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I would really love a mechanic or bike shop modular with maybe a cafe/restaurant above. This would offer enough play features and could have a story of a broken down car or something like that.

It could be a really cool old school type of building in the same vain as the Fire Department but preferably with a whole lot of masonry bricks.

OR

Maybe it could be an old blacksmith shop that has been converted into a mechanics shop for the modern world.

I might have to stick to MOCing one in the meantime.

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Just watched Tron Legacy last night and they had a corner arcade building, which I thought would be cool if Lego made something similar. Although it's pretty clear now that the next modular building may not be the long speculated arcade building. To be honest, I don't mind what type of building it is.. as long as it looks nice on the outside as well as the inside. But still cannot wait to find out what the next modular building is.

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I agree about having more of the same color in different pieces. Something along the lines of PR with the variety in olive green, but in another new color. Cool light yellow definitely would be welcome. Dark brown would be interesting, although probably too dark for noticing details at times.

I too would love to see these 'rarer' colours used more frequently in the modulars like the PR and TH. Having gone into my dark ages when the colours were all pretty standard, when I came out and saw all the new colours a couple of years ago I was blown away. But TLG don't seem to be making the most of it. I know it costs more money the more different bricks in more colours they have, but they must realise that that's what most of the modular fans want, therefore they will pretty easily turn a profit on the set. Plus I've never been to a city where EVERY building is one of a dozen or so colours!!

I think dark brown would be really interesting, Lego Dr!!! As long as it was contrasted with white detailing or something similar, you could really make it look good!!!

Anyway, I am eagerly anticipating the new modular :wub: I love all of them, even MS :tongue:

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I'd like to see a gas station. I've been building so many cars for my modular street but they have all run out of gas. Some of them could also do with a service. I'm going to MOC an art deco corner gas station and have a bricklink order on the way with some pieces in mind, but on 32 x 32 it's not an easy proposition. Luckily I found a real example in my real-life town which is perfect.

I haven't opened my DO yet (birthday is not til next month), but I've obviously read all the comments and seen the reviews, pictures and videos. I think it will look good and it will break up the somewhat monotonous façade of the other modulars when arranged together. The interior detailing I am fine with as I will probably convert it to open back in short order so I will be able to see it. But I do have a slight problem with the 'story'. Not so much the age at which the story is pitched, but more that there is a story. Good art allows the viewer to make their own interpretation and 'connect the dots' - use their own imaginations, good lego sets do the same. But with such a detailed story the imagination is a bit stifled. DO doesn't leave much room for this. If it were someone's MOC, fine, but I almost see this as a bit of an indulgence on the designers part - almost as if they couldn't resist partially building it for you. I'd prefer to make up my own story.

Of course, the story may have been intended to head off any criticism about including what is obviously a 'bar' (and an illegal one at that) in a toy. If that is the case, I'm happy to take the cookies - I get a bar. A story such as this also demands a detailed interior - stories happen inside. By that reasoning, the next set probably won't have a story (unless it's a medical marijuana dispensary or something)and won't need such a detailed interior either.

Only the release of the next set will tell.

Edited by dr_sarcophagus

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DO was not so good to me not only because of small spaces, higher RPP and artificially inflated piece count. It also didn't introduce any colour in fair quantity. The end result looks probably better because of that reason, but I prefer to have a big building having lots of bricks in one colour like TH or PC and not have it divided in 4 different ones like DO had. Anything sand would be great, or bright light yellow, PLEASE!

That way I can do something more with that set later on, MOC wise.

It doesn't matter at all what kind of building it will be, but what parts it will have.

Edited for more clear message :)

Excellent point.

I was a little shocked at the small number of actual bricks in the bags of the DO when I built it, even though I already knew what to expect (I started planning an intensive MOD/MOC based on it before that). Starting next week, I'll take it apart and build that MOC. It will use up most of two DOs plus another ~1000 bricks...all of which I have lying around here, looking forward to start in on that :classic:

In the meantime, I'm debating with myself wether I should get another Pet Shop before it's retired... other purchase options are another Simpsons house and a second PR. Simpsons house propably should have priority for collection purposes, since I already have three PS and PR popably will be around a bit longer.

Edited by RogerSmith

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