John Carter

Cool. My friends kids don't usually take apart sets. Some parents just bought Lego in bulk in addition to sets, so their kids have both "official" sets that they don't want to take apart and just a bunch of bricks to build whatever they want.

Nostalgia does play a role, however a person born in the year 2000 is23-24 years old today. Some of them are AFOLs and I watch some of them on youtube. Most of them show appreciation for older Lego sets, so it's not just nostalgia. I think that the main appeal of the pre-2000s Lego is that they are more "Lego"-ish. Yeah, that sounds like "Well, in my day Lego was REAL Lego", and maybe it is, but hear me out: The main Idea of Lego is that you can take a set apart and rebuild it. Building from instructions is fun, and displaying a cool professional looking set and playing with it is also fun, but what pulled me into Lego as a kid was the ability to pull the set apart and build my own stuff. The invited children to create MOCs. I have a feeling that's the case for most AFOLs. Yeah, my builds weren't exactly as nice as the official builds, but they were in the right neighborhood. Nowadays, sets look objectively better and have better play features, but they don't inspire children to play with Lego as building blocks. I think AFOLs, even those who didn't grow up with these sets and/or those who can build MOCs that look as good as modern sets, recognize this quality and are drawn to it.

I'm not much into technic, but some old Lego sets used mostly regular System parts to create technic-like functionality. 6895 Spy-Trak I was able to turn via a seesaw-like hand-of-god steering, where angling the seesaw to the right made the vehicle turn right and vice versa. It's a bit bulky, but very impressive considering the constraints. Thanks! Yeah, that's part of why I don't have a bigger collection - I buy sets to build and display, and as I'm left with smaller and smaller display space, it seems pointless. Since I dismantle most MOCs, I don't need to have that many spare parts. When I want something, I'll usually order a few parts from bricklink. Alright, pack it up boys and girls, we're done here! Also, wow, the compatibility of the simple Lego brick never ceases to amaze me.

Had a feeling, but it's less discussed than MOCs or reviews. I find it interesting you both put MODs and MOCs in the same category. For me, they are two different things - a MOD is like a renovation, while a MOC is making a new building. The former is a standard thing when moving (getting a new set) or once in a while, and the latter is more complicated and less common. Yeah, I also do that. The "LEGO Space: 1978 - 1992" book covers the space sets from those years, and adds a small story/vignette to each set. Oh that reminds me - it also said that one of the creators of the classic Space theme also use to invent stories around the sets he created. Nice. It actually sounds more appealing to me than the collector's edition Hogwarts Express.

Lego is first and foremost a kids toy, and kids mostly play with the sets either by building or using the sets to act out scenarios and make up stories. But how about AFOLs? Personally, I mainly build the sets and modify them to my liking. The goal is to leave the set largely as-is, but to fix/upgrade/add features unobtrusively. This isn't something prominent in the on-line Lego community, but I think that might be because MOCs and reviews are more likely to attract an audience (MOCs are more creative, and reviews are more helpful). Then I display the sets in the study/computer room. Sometimes I'll try my hand at a MOC. Usually to have it dismantles later, but there are a few MOCs that survived and made it to the display (mainly things that play into official themes/sets I have). Once in a while I'll set up a scene and make up a short story about it in my head. I'd like to have a poll on the subject, but am pretty sure I didn't post enough messages to have that option. Would it be too much trouble to ask for a poll to be added? With the options: I mainly build sets, then store/sell them. I mainly build sets for display. I mainly build MOCs. I mainly build and modify sets. I mainly arrange scenes. I mainly build sets/MOCs to play with (maybe in a D&D environment or similar).

After reading the raving reviews of set no. 10497, I was really excited to buy it. Unfortunately, the set didn't live to ANY of the hype, so I decided to write out my opinion in the form of a review (sans photos. Sorry, but I think there are enough photos and videos of the set in every conceivable angle and build state. This, naturally, has nothing to do with the fact I'm lazy and don't want to set up a photo shoot) to create some balance and maybe find some like-minded people. So, let's get down to it: The disappointment begins with the packaging – instead of the up-to-date packaging, Lego opted for a boring design with… sand? A spaceship should be blazing in space, or landing on strange and exotic planets, not the Sahara Desert. There's just no logical reason to set the photo like that! Could it be some weird ploy to tie the set to Star Wars, making buyers think this is a spaceship landing to Tatooine? To make it doubly infuriating, I have the distinct feeling I saw an almost identical artwork somewhere before. I hope Lego didn't just copy this drab cover from somewhere… Then we have the instructions – First off, we are greeted with some text about Lego Space, the original Galaxy Explorer and more, from both the set designer and the grandson of Lego founder and former CEO of the company. First off, I bought the set to build it, not read a wall of text. No one cares about your legacy, history, design process or "interesting" tidbits (that were just SO important they just HAD to cram them into the building steps)! Secondly, there is absolutely no excuse piling more text by some corporate figure who got his position purely by nepotism. The build, likewise, was a bummer. During the build, it's sometimes hard to see how things will add up, but then you put a few more pieces and an entire wing segment materializes in front of you, making you feel dumb for not realizing how all the parts will add up sooner. If I wanted to feel dumb, I would just look into a mirror. Furthermore, putting the last tiles on the wings felt just like putting the last piece in a jigsaw. Did I buy a jigsaw? No, I bought an interlocking bricks toy. STAY IN YOUR LANE, LEGO! The build was also over way too fast. It seems in one moment I was opening the box, and the next I had a complete spaceship in front of me (the clock said it took me a few hours, but I think it might have been tampered with, as it didn't feel like that AT ALL) And don't even get me started talking about the figures. They are plain, boring monochromatic with a meager classic space logo printed on them. No back or arms printing. The faces are also minimalistic and just so… happy. Don’t' they know pace travel is serious business? Not only that, but they look just like the "classic" (i.e., old) minifigs, evoking a child-like feeling from a "classic" (i.e., old) Lego collector. This is, of course, a bad thing as children are stupid and boring and I don't have anything in common with their stupid and boring faces! I specifically bought this set because it said 18+ on it, so I'll know for a fact no child has it. The finished spaceship is a total mess. There are four seats but only two beds (and they sleep with their air tanks on!?). Also, there is no bathroom, a basic feature in all modern sets of this size. The only redeeming quality are the trans yellow canopies, that Lego wisely put with all the other parts, scratching them and making them look slightly aged, a bit like my vintage sets (that are, of course, superior in any objective measure to the modern sets). However, this small feature does not make up for the rest of the model. On a serious note – Sorry for misleading you in the beginning, but hopefully you found the joke funny enough to warrant a slight misdirection. I wrote this review mainly because I wanted to rave about the set, but as the internet is stuffed with positive reviews about it, I feared adding even one more could potentially create a critical mass and suck earth into a black hole. So, I thought "If I can't say anything new, maybe I could say the same thing in a novel way". But also, I really want to know if there is someone, anyone, who didn't like this set. If you clicked the post with a relived feeling of "at last, someone had the courage to say it out loud!", I would genuinely like to hear from you. You might have an uncommon opinion, but that doesn't make it any less valid (said the guy who wrote an entire review on a premise of cramming as many invalid opinions…). Don’t' worry, we promise to only throw fresh vegetables. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the post and found it amusing. And one more thing – I did write the "no bathroom" thing as a joke, but, seriously, how cool would it be if Lego added a space bathroom?

Thanks. Feel free to use it.

Some may find this rather simplistic, and that may be true. On the other hand I also think it's an efficient use of a small amount of bricks (Also, it looks better in real life. Sorry for the shoddy photography). What do you think? Full album: http://imgur.com/a/dvy9X

Thanks for the comments. Also, any form of constructive criticism is welcome. It doesn't quite cover it, but it does add to the flow. I'm also fond of the "snub nose" effect (If I may say so myself). Huh, yeah, I like that.

It's kinda like a chopped motorcycle except, you know, in space. Gallery: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=493942 '> http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=493942 (Yeah, 2nd photo isn't very good...) So, what do you guys think?

Thanks. Actually, when I look at it in on screen, the "legs" might need improvement. And M:tron is hands down my favorite theme, nostalgic-wise.

Thanks, but assuming I'm not breaking any rules (I'm not, right?), It's simpler to just reply with another image. Edit: and apparently I can't do that. Neither will brickshelf allow me to set a folder as public... Never mind, then.

Kinda new to the whole AFOL thing, so I'd appreciate any input you have. (BTW, I have no idea more then 1 image per post, so I'll just reply a few times adding some images) EDIT: Brickshelf gallery - http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=487184