LEGO Ideas Discussion

[Faefrost]

Disney does acknowledge TCW, it's officially still part of the canon and future Rebels episodes will bring back a popular TCW character, namely

Hondo Ohnaka

Besides, the Invisible Hand is featured in ROTS, and not TCW (the latter features a similar Separatist flagship, the Malevolence)

I suspect the issue with the Invisible Hand is largely two points. The project as proposed was an overly ambitious wish list that would make it one of the larger SW sets ever made. And the ship itself is very similar as you say to the Malevolence, the recent release of which sold horribly.

[Artanis I]

I'm not surprised, really.

[just2good]

Well, I guess they are either finalising the minifigs so that the show's actors are happy with them or leaving it to NY Toy Fair or SD Comic Con or something ?

Ghostbusters was shown at the NYTF, so that's most likely.

[Meiko]

Cool to see word on Doctor Who. It'll be nice if that could be expanded into its own theme if the LEGO Ideas set is successful, like Minecraft. I could see that being very successful for LEGO.

[Robert8]

I'm quite surprised the Wall-E set was approved. The Doctor Who is kinda meh.

(I thought they reviewing the Helicarrier, the Museum, etc... )

[Faefrost]

I'm quite surprised the Wall-E set was approved. The Doctor Who is kinda meh.

(I thought they reviewing the Helicarrier, the Museum, etc... )

That's next cycle. Although it's a fairly safe bet that the Helicarrier project is kind of obviously a non starter.

[XAxles]

I think TLG might just go nuts and get the Piano as a polybag (or paper pouch), and the Labyrinth maze becomes one of the other two main sets, and the UCS Hubble ends up becoming a surprise wildcard!

[Dorayaki]

To be honest, I’m happy for Dr Who fans, but in this case a LEGO DW set is definitely not a surprise at all, after that unfairly official “hint”. The thing we should notice is that two projects complete like the last time GB projects did. Unlike GB, even though there could be multiple versions/generations for the DW franchise, LEGO might still choose to make one only at once because of marketing risks.

As for the rejected ones, I’m sad but not surprised to see SH mansions rejected. There is a chance for official ones if TLG already plan it now.

Speaking of GB, the real problem, the office gets rejected and there is no second chance like existed LEGO licenses have. Also, it's the second time that another project of used Ideas licnses get rejected, after the train from BTTF. This could mean a misfortune for other growing DW projects who want to have the second place for LEGO DW set. I believe that LEGO should be able to redesign the office into a part of the Creator Modular series, which also pleases normal FOLs.

WALL*E is a much more recent movie than any of the existing movies from either the Ghostbusters or Back to the Future franchises, at least (in addition to TLG already having a cozier relationship with Disney than it did with either Sony or Universal when those projects happened).

No. If we’re discussing the timeline of LEGO’s cooperation with Disney, Wall-E is earlier than TS3 so it isn't like a feasible choice for LEGO to advertise.

And speaking of Disney, I’m surprirsed too because LEGO neglect the two more popular film franchise this year (sorry Wall-E fans): Sleeping Beauty and BH6, so now Disney's decision seems to be very illogical.

Neglecting that “Ideas-oriented licenses couldn’t get multiple sets” issue, I also wish to see several minifigure scale sets base on that film Of course. Eve should be in!!!!!!

(Just an image, please neglect the difference between Mary and Olivia).

Edited February 5, 2015 by Dorayaki

[glendo]

I hope everyone is starting to realise the rules to the game is to make small sets. It appears they are limited to a price point/part count that a lot lower than a UCS AT-AT or a Modular building.

Lego Ideas needs to be rebranded as 'Lego LICENSING Ideas'

Edited February 5, 2015 by glendo

[GallardoLU]

I hope everyone is starting to realise the rules to the game is to make small sets. It appears they are limited to a price point/part count that a lot lower than a UCS AT-AT or a Modular building.

Lego Ideas needs to be rebranded as 'Lego LICENSING Ideas'

actually the more sets that come from IDEAS the more I've come to realize that there are no set rules as to what will be coming. although the UCS scaled sets are unlikely, LEGO has proven they are willing to test waters and try for things we thought were dead in the water. for example: Last year we thought we would only ever get a single set from a review period, now we are getting 3 from a single review (Birds, TBBT, Dr. Who) small models are still the flavor of the day, and I see that being the standard overall, I believe LEGO is looking for that perfect set to try for in larger scale.

[Dorayaki]

I hope everyone is starting to realise the rules to the game is to make small sets. It appears they are limited to a price point/part count that a lot lower than a UCS AT-AT or a Modular building.

Lego Ideas needs to be rebranded as 'Lego LICENSING Ideas'

Wow, where? I agree that some projects do look too enormously huge, but the fact is there is no officially codified rule for members to follow, and your saying is clueless.

Just like the SW UCS ship case mentioned, we can see that the sets do sell and there is no commercial problems, so it's just within Idea's review and choice. Scale does play a role in their decision, however, along with many other factors we've seen so far which don't let the scale decide evrything. Just IMO, I believe that these rejected houses could be redesigned into Modular scale that TLC could afford to produce.

Edited February 5, 2015 by Dorayaki

[Blondie-Wan]

Speaking of GB, the real problem, the office gets rejected and there is no second chance like existed LEGO licenses have. Also, it's the second time that another project of used Ideas licnses get rejected, after the train from BTTF. This could mean a misfortune for other growing DW projects who want to have the second place for LEGO DW set. I believe that LEGO should be able to redesign the office into a part of the Creator Modular series, which also pleases normal FOLs.

The thing with the time train and the Ghostbusters station, though, is that both those projects would have made large, expensive sets. It's possible that alone was enough to keep them from being approved. I don't think most of the other Doctor Who projects are close to the same size. Projects that stay under around $50 should have a better shot.

But yes, it is also possible that once a single set gets through Ideas, the licensing agreement might preclude further Ideas sets from happening.

No. If we’re discussing the timeline of LEGO’s cooperation with Disney, Wall-E is earlier than TS3 so it isn't like a feasible choice for LEGO to advertise.

It's a lot closer to Toy Story 3 (and the present) than it is to either Ghostbusters or Back to the Future, though. At any rate, it's not old enough for the age of the movie to be a problem, at least as an Ideas set.

And speaking of Disney, I’m surprirsed too because LEGO neglect the two more popular film franchise this year (sorry Wall-E fans): Sleeping Beauty and BH6, so now Disney's decision seems to be very illogical.

Nothing to be "sorry" about to WALL*E fans; those other movies did just come out this year (by "Sleeping Beauty" you're talking about Maleficent, right?). However, it's not just Disney's decision; LEGO itself simply can't make a whole new theme for every movie that comes out. They just don't have the production capacity. They have to pick and choose, and they already had existing licensed themes like Star Wars, Marvel, DC, The Hobbit, etc., not to mention their own themes like City, Friends, etc. If they do a theme around a new major motion picture it means they make multiple sets, and make all of them in enough quantity to fill shelves in every Target, Walmart, Toys 'R' Us, etc., and that can both cut into their production capacity for other lines while also cluttering up the market with too many products and cannibalizing their own sales in other lines.

A single Ideas set doesn't do that, though. It also doesn't need either Disney or LEGO to even come up with the idea of doing it; it's something an individual artist who worked on WALL*E came up with, and a bunch of regular fans asked for it by voting for it. Indeed, someone could even post a Maleficent or Big Hero 6 project on Ideas, and it might have an excellent chance.

I hope everyone is starting to realise the rules to the game is to make small sets. It appears they are limited to a price point/part count that a lot lower than a UCS AT-AT or a Modular building.

Lego Ideas needs to be rebranded as 'Lego LICENSING Ideas'

I think you're right about the size / price point of Ideas projects and sets (not that a large set is completely impossible, but smaller ones definitely have better chances).

However, there have been just as many non-licensed sets that got through as there have been licensed ones - six of each, including the three that have been announced but not released yet. Actually, in fact, if we look just at the ones that have actually come out so far, there have been three licensed ones and six non-licensed ones, so non-licensed sets make up two-thirds of all the ones so far.

[Sarah]

From the next wave, the helicarrier is out for obvious reasons, the hornet is out because its too niche (like other video game projects), the Goonies boat is probably too big and too niche, the Flying Dutchman is too big, the Jurassic Park gates are probably too big and also we dont know if things from the first 3 films are on the radar screen or not. Given how poorly LOTR seems to have done (and Hobbit especially) I cant see the business case stacking up for a set as large as Minas Tirith. The museum has possibilities but it may be a bit on the big side for an Ideas set (yes modulars do sell but the museum looks to be a step or 2 above the modulars in terms of piece count and stuff plus we dont know if a modular museum will be as popular as the other themes LEGO has picked for its modulars). The marble maze looks fun and it doesn't look like its too big to work either (although it would be totally different to any product LEGO have ever made so that might count against it). As for the piano, what percentage of the usual target audience for LEGO or for Ideas sets actually like pianos (as opposed to the percentage of that group who are pushed by their parents into taking piano lessons they dont want to take and end up hating pianos for the rest of their life...)

There is also a piano coming in the Friends grand hotel coming up this summer that the IDEAS set might compete with.

[Faefrost]

I hope everyone is starting to realise the rules to the game is to make small sets. It appears they are limited to a price point/part count that a lot lower than a UCS AT-AT or a Modular building.

Lego Ideas needs to be rebranded as 'Lego LICENSING Ideas'

Actually the Wall-E set as presented looks to be a fairly substantial one if they don't shrink it too much in development. And there has been a pretty broad stretch of price points in the Ideas/CuuSoo line to date. (and yes it is easy to see that $49 seems to be the targeted sweet spot). Where everyone fails in understanding size and price is in taking into account "context" and "Target audience". Note that Lego's absolute best broadest and oldest selling line, City, does not go into the high end price points that Creator Expert or Technic do. The size of the set must match up with the target audience and their proven willingness to buy at the needed price point. The key thing to remember is Ideas is not going to go outside TLG's experience zones. Or at least not far outside them. Ideas IS a vast experiment for TLG they are not going to pile other experiments on top of that. At least not without some other ulterior benefit. (see; Big Bang Theory, The. Which we really don't factor much into. that is purely a fortuitous marketing synergy.)

I figure a safe estimate for whether or not a set is viable is can it be made `20% smaller or cheaper than the largest or priciest similar successful example from TLG's released catalog? TLG is never ever going to equal or surpass their largest or top end offerings under the experimental Ideas program. So if you are offering a set of a broad category it should be within the rough average pricing of similar official sets. You can get away with a 2000 piece Modular. You will not get away with a 2000 piece set of something they have never seen or tried before. And even then it will all depend on the business case and analysis.

[AFOLguy1970]

I really think the Natural History Museum has a chance of cracking the $50 ceiling. It is somewhere in the 2000's piece count range and is presented as a modular. It requires no licensing and should appeal many people. It is a good tie in to the Research Institute, which sold out almost immediately. This is not to say Lego will give it the green light, but to me it looks like the best chance of a set that size of being made that has so far been presented.

[Faefrost]

The thing with the time train and the Ghostbusters station, though, is that both those projects would have made large, expensive sets. It's possible that alone was enough to keep them from being approved. I don't think most of the other Doctor Who projects are close to the same size. Projects that stay under around $50 should have a better shot.

But yes, it is also possible that once a single set gets through Ideas, the licensing agreement might preclude further Ideas sets from happening.

One of those other little rules of CuuSoo and Ideas that we tend to forget or ignore. Well maybe not a rule so much as a guideline. I believe it was mentioned in one of those early blog posts regarding how to pass review.

Projects that are add ons or expansions to already existing sets will not pass. The GB Firehouse was likely viewed as an add on to the Exto One, with little market as a standalone. Similarly the BTTF train is not really well known. The DeLorean is the core of the three movies. It is as much of a character as Christopher Lloyd and Michael J Fox. Everything revolves around it and it is instantly recognizable. The train appears for less than 1 minute of screen time, and only shows its full form for less than 10 seconds. It's not representative of the movie. It's just a thing that is in one of the movies. As such it does not have enough general appeal unless it was being used in a current release new movie. There is not enough nostalgia surrounding it for it to succeed as a nostalgia product the way the DeLorean does.

I really think the Natural History Museum has a chance of cracking the $50 ceiling. It is somewhere in the 2000's piece count range and is presented as a modular. It requires no licensing and should appeal many people. It is a good tie in to the Research Institute, which sold out almost immediately. This is not to say Lego will give it the green light, but to me it looks like the best chance of a set that size of being made that has so far been presented.

That is my take on it as well. Lego has great data on the Modular line. Probably 90% of the Modulars sold in North America and Europe are bought by Lego VIP account holders. This means they not only know how many would buy it, but who precisely. Down to their street address and e-mail. Plus it is a line that has successfully supported a fan made set in the past. If Ideas is going to take a risk on a big set, it will be a big set like this. Not something like the Invisible Hand, for which they have either wildly conflicting or negative data, or the Batman or XMen mansions, for which they have none.

[SMC]

Natural History Museum is a very interesting set to test ideas, now for the wait

[Faefrost]

And speaking of Disney, I’m surprirsed too because LEGO neglect the two more popular film franchise this year (sorry Wall-E fans): Sleeping Beauty and BH6, so now Disney's decision seems to be very illogical.

Neglecting that “Ideas-oriented licenses couldn’t get multiple sets” issue, I also wish to see several minifigure scale sets base on that film Of course. Eve should be in!!!!!!

2 points towards what you are asking about.

1. Lego is very very conservative with what they license. They will only rarely license IP that does not have an established track record in some form. And this goes up to including some big name stuff. They carefully watch how the first film performs in the toy market and then may or m ay not jump on for the second if it seems worthwhile. Even with what would seemingly be major Disney blockbusters. So no they would not likely touch BH6 out of the box, or Wreck it Ralph, or Tangled or Frozen until they could guage interest. On the rare occasions that they violate this one suspects there is some back end deal, and they often get burned. (note The Lone Ranger).

2. Lego has a Sleeping Beauty set out now, so I am not sure what you are asking for? Set 41060.

[Artanis I]

It has been brought up before, but regarding the modular buildings, they specifically make 2 per year. It's very possible that TLG would be hesitant to throw out an extra Ideas modular, since it may affect sales of the others. But then again, how many modular buyers also went for the Haunted House? (I honestly have no idea...but it's something to consider.)

[Lord Terrowin Forthwind]

Here's to Doctor Who coming next in Lego Ideas!

Here's to Doctor Who coming next in Lego Ideas!

[Robert8]

And speaking of Disney, I’m surprirsed too because LEGO neglect the two more popular film franchise this year (sorry Wall-E fans): Sleeping Beauty and BH6, so now Disney's decision seems to be very illogical.

Maleficent was a plain awful film.... Maybe that's why.

Lego Ideas needs to be rebranded as 'Lego LICENSING Ideas'

Yeah... so many licensed sets isn't nice. But I don't think a licensed next will pass the next review.

[Blondie-Wan]

Maleficent was a plain awful film.... Maybe that's why.

Many enjoyed it, though; certainly Angelina Jolie is great in it, regardless of what the rest is like. It was also one of the top grossers of the year, for whatever that's worth.

Yeah... so many licensed sets isn't nice. But I don't think a licensed next will pass the next review.

I think you're right. Practically all of the license projects under review are huge projects that would make extremely expensive sets, and most of them have other issues besides. I think either the marble labyrinth, the piano, or both will be approved out of that batch (deservedly so, IMHO), but no others.

Edited February 6, 2015 by Blondie-Wan

[jonwil]

I still think there is a chance they could take a punt on the modular museum. They know hoe well modulars sell (even more so than most sets) and they know the target audience for modulars is the sort of audience that would be interested in a museum.

[Blondie-Wan]

Yes, that one has a chance too; I just forgot about it somehow.

[Robert8]

I think you're right. Practically all of the license projects under review are huge projects that would make extremely expensive sets, and most of them have other issues besides. I think either the marble labyrinth, the piano, or both will be approved out of that batch (deservedly so, IMHO), but no others.

I thought the Jurasic Park set had a chance to get approved, but after seeing the infographic detailing the LEGO Jurassic World sets, I changed my mind since there is a pretty similar jeep in one of the sets. It could even be the same one.

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The Medieval Market Street reached the 10000 supporters

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/18873

Edited February 6, 2015 by Robert8