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Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

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1 hour ago, Wesley D said:

Watching the video I don't feel their enthousiasm about the modular buildings anymore. It's more like they state to continue because of the succes of the line. Could it be they are getting tired of the theme?

i think he is really trying to answer a question that he may not answer by saying something without saying what het can not say. Its a bit awkward.

at the end he wants to say: "i hope you will be excited with this years modular", but he can not say that there is one coming, and therefor quickly says: "With the existing modulars".

Edited by SollX

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6 hours ago, SollX said:

i think he is really trying to answer a question that he may not answer by saying something without saying what het can not say. Its a bit awkward.

at the end he wants to say: "i hope you will be excited with this years modular", but he can not say that there is one coming, and therefor quickly says: "With the existing modulars".

I get the following impressions from the video:

  1. Modulars are still a strong part of the LEGO portfolio.
  2. The modular 'theme' will continue well into the future.
  3. They are tracking closely which trends in modular buildings work and which ones don't work.  This also suggests that not all modulars sell equally well.
  4. The design team at LEGO will continue to push the boundaries of what the modular buildings will entail.  They are not complacent with designing status quo buildings.  We can expect modulars in the coming years to have jarring designs like the DD.  They won't always blend into the typical NYC/Amsterdam style of architecture.

 

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22 hours ago, pooda said:

Goodbye modulars! You'll be missed. 

What element of the video gave you the impression that the theme was ending?

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Just now, nikhkin said:

What element of the video gave you the impression that the theme was ending?

I simply went off of what someone else had said. I couldn't even understand what the men in the video were trying to say. 

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On 9/24/2019 at 6:18 AM, pooda said:

 

I honestly think the Town division of Lego spends too much time with police stations. Better yet, police sets.

From what I've seen on here though, people on Eurobricks seem to love the sets so much that I am known for starting arguments on this forum over there being too many. 

Take note: Eurobricks is the only forum where I can't critique City without being looked at as a criminal. No pun intended. 

But honestly there is a strong strategic reason for doing one of the City stalwarts in a more realistic grown up form every now and then. Can we all agree that the all time best seller of the line was the Fire Brigade? That one dodged cancellation for almost as long as the Death star, and got 2 or 3 production runs past the initial. Part of the reason for that is it has the most crossover appeal. It functions as both a wonderful playset for the younger family members and as a nice town centerpiece for we grumpy old AFOLS. It's the one the kids eyes gravitate towards. Similarly the recent trend of adding a vehicle to some sets is likely for a similar hook. They have never quite matched the FB's crossover appeal. The way it attracted newcomers to the modular line. The Pet Shop and Parisian Restaurant may be the Modular Connoisseur's preferred sets. But FB is one that introduces them. They can use another like that. I think they tried that a little with CG. Not sure how well it succeeded? But they were clearly seeking to hook the City Boy fans with the garage and the Friends Girl fans with the Vet. I think a Police Station or Post Office would be a logical set to fill that entry point role as the young uns graduate from city.  Offering the linked building and vehicle play. 

On 9/26/2019 at 9:04 AM, bbrousong said:

I don't think there is any need to guess too much. According to lego's explanation, in the next 10 years, modular buildings will maintain the American 50s style, so there are representative buildings in the United States in the 1950s. I think it may not be too familiar.

I don't think Lego has ever specified that the Modulars are meant to be 50's American. Now it is clear that much of Jamie's vision and experience probably comes from a model railroading hobby at some point. His mental map looks like Post War US Steam/Diesel Transition Era. But honestly that is not entirely uniquely American. Much of 20th Century architecture is fairly universal throughout world cities, with only minor differences separating the regions. Of the 14 Modulars only 5 of them are "American", and one of those you would not know it unless you knew the backstory. FB, DD, PC and CG are distinctly American style buildings. PR while clearly being a European style building is actually based on a purpose built faux French style building from Jamie's New England hometown. Okay I'll give you DO has a bit of a Brooklyn or Chicago feel to it. 

On 9/26/2019 at 8:36 PM, pooda said:

Do you guys think we have a shot at seeing a modular bus terminal? 

That's a neat idea. Especially if they could give us an older style stainless steel Greyhound type bus with it. A bus terminal would have been a better use of the CG's footprint than a Garage. 

On 9/29/2019 at 2:32 AM, paupadros said:

I think it will be another unusual combo. If they’re sticking with American, I bet they’ll go for records store; nothing quite like it in the previous fourteen models and opens up oportunities for great detailing.

For me, as I bet for many, the exterior architecture is everything. Yes, if the interiors feel bad/kinda lazy (looking at you CG :hmpf_bad:), it’s definitely something I dislike, but if the model feels architecturally boring, badly coloured or (again looking at you CG :hmpf_bad::hmpf_bad:) the architecture seems infantile; lacking all the realistic but at the same time fantasy-flavoured Jamie designs, or even the DD, it’s a complete no no for me.

See it's often a matter of perspective. I kind of like CG because I know of many many buildings that look like it. It's pure US early 20th Century Rust Belt Industrial. The colors look fine for stuff you can find anywhere on the path between New York and Chicago or Detroit. It's a downtown industrial building they don't tend to have a lot of ornate industrial details. 

17 hours ago, Wesley D said:

Watching the video I don't feel their enthousiasm about the modular buildings anymore. It's more like they state to continue because of the succes of the line. Could it be they are getting tired of the theme?

I think part of it is Jamie is less Hands On with the Modulars these days. And part of it is he has learned to be very very cautious about what he says when answering such questions. 

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@Faefrost The only police sets I like are the ones that come out every three years. 

....and thank you. I'm glad you liked the modular bus terminal idea. I would definitely take a look if a Greyhound bus was included. 

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There are some words that he used in the video that makes me think, that the future of the usual modular buildings as we know it might be different.

- First of all, he never said the word modular buildings. He is referring to them as modulars. For example. Can a gas/service station be modular? Or above mentioned bus terminal or train station? They could be something that doesn't look like traditional modular building but still be expert sets that connect and help form streets.

- Secondly. He mentioned the sets in the whole product line as "iterations" hinting that they are essentially the same thing in general, just different design. AND "We don't just want to go back and keep doing the same thing. So with the modulars we have some new eyes on it..." Could that be that we can be talking about the modular building, but not neccessarily from the City? Let's say we get a modular building from Castle theme which will set off a medieval street? Could that be that he is hinting at something different with these words?

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It's to bad that when he mentioned the modulars we currently have that he wasn't referring to re-releasing a few of the older ones.

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4 hours ago, meliander said:

- First of all, he never said the word modular buildings. He is referring to them as modulars. For example. Can a gas/service station be modular? Or above mentioned bus terminal or train station? They could be something that doesn't look like traditional modular building but still be expert sets that connect and help form streets.

I am sure that just because it is easier to say, nothing more :sceptic:

4 hours ago, meliander said:

Secondly. He mentioned the sets in the whole product line as "iterations" hinting that they are essentially the same thing in general, just different design. AND "We don't just want to go back and keep doing the same thing. So with the modulars we have some new eyes on it..." Could that be that we can be talking about the modular building, but not neccessarily from the City? Let's say we get a modular building from Castle theme which will set off a medieval street? Could that be that he is hinting at something different with these words?

Probably not.. I just means that instead of making similar buildings every time, they must use new parts, new building techniques etc. Some things work others do not, but they need to stay creative and try every time to improve and make something different.. Also there is a long line of designers that want to make the modulars so instead of one person making them, several do get the chance to make one. Since every designer will bring something new to the table they end up more diverse that way.. A Legoland castle hotel set is probably the closes we get in the near future (not unlikely they will make one)..
 

1 hour ago, CSW652 said:

It's to bad that when he mentioned the modulars we currently have that he wasn't referring to re-releasing a few of the older ones.

They have said earlier that re-releasing modulars will not happen, but you never know what out of the vault will bring :def_shrug:

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4 hours ago, meliander said:

There are some words that he used in the video that makes me think, that the future of the usual modular buildings as we know it might be different.

- First of all, he never said the word modular buildings. He is referring to them as modulars. For example. Can a gas/service station be modular? Or above mentioned bus terminal or train station? They could be something that doesn't look like traditional modular building but still be expert sets that connect and help form streets.

- Secondly. He mentioned the sets in the whole product line as "iterations" hinting that they are essentially the same thing in general, just different design. AND "We don't just want to go back and keep doing the same thing. So with the modulars we have some new eyes on it..." Could that be that we can be talking about the modular building, but not neccessarily from the City? Let's say we get a modular building from Castle theme which will set off a medieval street? Could that be that he is hinting at something different with these words?

I haven't seen the video yet, but this is actually already the case with the Ninjago city and docks, which aren't part of the city/town line. To me what essentially defines a modular is the fact it has technic pins or1/2 bricks on the side to connect it to others.

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On 10/2/2019 at 8:02 AM, Wesley D said:

Watching the video I don't feel their enthousiasm about the modular buildings anymore. It's more like they state to continue because of the succes of the line. Could it be they are getting tired of the theme?

I can see how you’d say that. It’s also likely that the guys leading on modulars in the past have been moved onto other lines, and they don’t have the full information as to how the line is developing. 

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9 hours ago, meliander said:

Could that be that we can be talking about the modular building, but not neccessarily from the City? Let's say we get a modular building from Castle theme which will set off a medieval street? Could that be that he is hinting at something different with these words?

I would love for the modular line to segue into Harry Potter.  They could create a "Leaky Cauldron" and then splinter off to a series of buildings from Daigon Alley.  

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5 hours ago, Roebuck said:

They have said earlier that re-releasing modulars will not happen, but you never know what out of the vault will bring :def_shrug:

Isn't that the same thing?

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28 minutes ago, CSW652 said:

Isn't that the same thing?

Well personally I do not think they will re-release them, other sets that they re-released lately no matter how unlikely (like the Vestas) I have heard no such statement regarding those sets..

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I don't have the link, but Jamie explicitly said they will not re-release previous modulars. The reason is two-fold -- a lot of those early pieces may be discontinued with no desire to bring back the mold. Also, to create something new.

Yes, they have re-released a few other sets. I'm sure they have their reasons. But if you look back at the 2008 modulars vs 2018 even, they are a world away in differences. I wouldn't even want to buy them now since there is zero detailing. It has grown considerably. We are just lucky enough to be able to compare everything.

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Jamie's response is perfectly reasonable and what I would expect.

Modulars shouldn't be designed to stay to the status quo.  I, for one, welcome the storytelling and the challenges the designers are putting on the build to create a unique building experience.  Of course, we all have favorites.

The Assembly Square was clearly a wrap-up of the first era, and modulars have and will move on to a new era.  But they are definitely getting a bit lost with the immense number of D2C sets that LEGO has and is producing.  Budgeting for a modular has become challenging for me when there are so many other options within LEGO's own product portfolio looking for my dollars.

I wouldn't be surprised if LEGO-released modulars as we know them take a break in the next couple of years, or even discontinue entirely.  The change from classic smiley -> modern figs signaled a major change in what they are looking for within the modular designs.  Honestly, it appeals slightly less to me now.  

 

 

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I really hope TLG doesn't stop releasing any modulars. They some of the most original and refreshing sets. Not licensed, not overly expensive - just some of the simplest and yet most beautiful things you can create: buildings.

I admit the line has indeed become a little buried under all the other D2Cs being released, but it's still one of the most special themes, IMO.

Plus, if they're selling well I see no reason for TLG to stop releasing them.

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I hope that the Modulars continue forever!

If need be, they could be released every two years, but the annual Modular and usual annual fairground sets are always my “must buys”.

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On 9/28/2019 at 11:31 PM, Hive said:

We have TWO coffee shops: Café Corner and Assembly Square.

I know,I have both. But like the bottom only being a coffee shop. But again I am a coffee snob that may be one reason why I would want it be that way. 

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On 10/3/2019 at 1:41 PM, meliander said:

There are some words that he used in the video that makes me think, that the future of the usual modular buildings as we know it might be different.

- First of all, he never said the word modular buildings. He is referring to them as modulars. For example. Can a gas/service station be modular? Or above mentioned bus terminal or train station? They could be something that doesn't look like traditional modular building but still be expert sets that connect and help form streets.

- Secondly. He mentioned the sets in the whole product line as "iterations" hinting that they are essentially the same thing in general, just different design. AND "We don't just want to go back and keep doing the same thing. So with the modulars we have some new eyes on it..." Could that be that we can be talking about the modular building, but not neccessarily from the City? Let's say we get a modular building from Castle theme which will set off a medieval street? Could that be that he is hinting at something different with these words?

Alternate themed modulars would be awesome, like futuristic, or medieval. I still think it would be great if they did a Harry Potter Modular of 12 Grimmauld Place. 

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On 10/3/2019 at 6:35 PM, Terrasher said:

I really hope TLG doesn't stop releasing any modulars. They some of the most original and refreshing sets. Not licensed, not overly expensive - just some of the simplest and yet most beautiful things you can create: buildings.

I admit the line has indeed become a little buried under all the other D2Cs being released, but it's still one of the most special themes, IMO.

Plus, if they're selling well I see no reason for TLG to stop releasing them.

They're not. For some reason this talk about modulars ending always comes up. There is a video where they talk about the process and how they're ahead. Right now they're most likely in the finishing stages of the design for the 2021 modular. It was an interesting video.

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23 hours ago, Feng-huang0296 said:

Alternate themed modulars would be awesome, like futuristic, or medieval. I still think it would be great if they did a Harry Potter Modular of 12 Grimmauld Place. 

That would be awesome. That would also be a nice way to get a complete living area Modular. It could be like PS, where half could be the Black’s & the other building could be another residence. 

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I’d like some kind of (toy? Chocolate?) factory, bottom floor designers at computers and a lobby, with amenities like google middle floor conveyer belt, top floor cafe with a slide going floor to floor. 

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