Klaus-Dieter

Again a great review, Whitefang! I voted for Average: I personally these older road signs much more then the new ones (which partly exist since some years now). And if the new road signs from 2009 will include stickers it'll be . But I think that a set - like the City Minifigure Collection in Jnuary 2009 - is much better than a set with only road signs because 1. only road signs surely don't sell that good (not so important for us, but for TLG), 2. only road signs are boring - with some additional stuff and minifigs they are much more handsome - and 3. you don't nead so many road signs for your Lego City - even if it's very big. Because every 8 stucks a road sign looks bad and unrealsitic. I remember having bought a set of these road signs you reviewed here when I was very young - and some of these road signs exist even yet ( ). Klaus-Dieter

Again a great review of a great set, TheBrickster! I voted for Above Average: Of course there regrettably were missing some more detailed accessories mainly for the hotel. But you have to consider that this set was released (the first time) a long time ago. And because of that I think it is amzing detailed . I mainly really this garage with the office upstairs - that was simply . Civilian stuff and buildings (with which I mean not the always only police, construction, fire and rescue - and with which I mean mainly civilian life in the city) were and regrettably still are a real shortcoming in the City theme (in other themes like Castle, too, but the most bothersome it's imo in the City theme). I bought the rereleased version (which regrettably didn't inlcude the lovely cypress ) some years ago - and I must say that I really don't regret it. Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for that information, sam89! So the most of the sets of the list are now (nearly) confirmed. I'm a bit sceptic about the set names - especially the "Echo Base". "Echo Base" would mean a real base - but for 22 Euros this set will be about the size of this year's Hallfire & Spider Droid set - so really not a whole base. Like already mentioned before I think that this set will include three Hoth Rebel Troopers, one Rebel Captain (hopefully!!!), a Tauntaun, a big gun and some rocky and snowy little landscape - but that's surely it. I then hope that we'll get a BP for the Imperials with some Snow Troopers and a Snow Trooper Captain in 2010! As for the Endor Battle Playset the price is about this year's CW AT-TE. So for this price it'll surely be very similar to last year's Hoth Rebel Base - but with more pics. It'll surely be very similar to this great MOC I found on BS (of course it won't include as many minifigs as in this MOC, but the other parts will imo surely be very similar to these in this MOC): Link to the designer's gallery: here. Klaus-Dieter

Hello everybody! Look which pic of a Western saloon/hotel with a stage coach I found on BS: (Regrettably I only found this only pic of that MOC.) I must say that I really it. It's very well designed with all the wooden pieces, the swinging door, the minifigs, the stage coach and the nice additional stuff. Hopefully TLG will release something similar to that in the next years, too. Please share your thoughts! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much, Teddy! Yes, I plan to desgin a courthouse with LDD in the future. But at the moment I've got a lot of work. So perhaps around Christmas. By the way: Your modular interior structures look really nice! Klaus-Dieter

That's an amazing MOC, Henning Birkelan...! I really like it - mainly the red house in the middle and the park in the front. You did an excellent job with designing a whole street scene in mini style. All the detailed buildings, the nice cars and the lovely additional stuff makes it a really excellent MOC which looks very realisitc! Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for the new and clear pics, Hinckley, and for the news, legomilk! But now back to the latest news on new sets: I think that there might be four possibilities in which a might be included in a big set: - and big train station - ..., parking area and some other cars (perhaps as a Factory set) - ..., little car, one or two houses (some sort of modern Main Street) - ... and school - ... and CC styled building What do you think? Klaus-Dieter

Btw: Does someone else plan to design an add-on for the amazing 10193 Medieval Market Village, too? - I would be really interested how someone else would desgin an add-on (it isn't necessary to design it in LDD how I did). Klaus-Dieter

Thank you all very much for your nice comments! Thanks. Nice to hear that you liked the baker's head, Lt. Col. Thok. I, too, thought that it would be the best compromise when using LDD. Thank you very much, darkrebellion! Imo a bakery (of course not mine, TLG's designers and a lot of you, too, could esign it much better) would be the perfect addition to the amazing 10193 set. Thank you very much, Steve! I really would have liked to desgin the whole bottom in grey since I personally don't like it to be mixed with black. But LDD regrettably doesn't offer the bricks which I'd need in grey . That's indeed a problem with LDD, Tacitus, since some bricks are available in some colors and in some colors not. So how should I add some brwon doors or black window panes when there are no existent?! Thank you very much, Tacitus! But I really don't think that this my MOC is better than anything you've done lately! Good idea, Tacitus! I thought about that, too, but then decided for no stairs since 1. it's easier to design ( ) and 2. because I wanted to make it as much similar designed to 10193 as possible - but of course different, too, since TLG would even do so . Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for that information, Lord Santos! That sounds very promising! What do you think when this set might be released? I agree with your first speculation, Bob the Construction Man. Some kind of Main Street might be well possible - I really would like to see that becoming true . But an airport as an exclusive set is imo unlikely - and I personally wouldn't like another airport . So what about one or two special houses and a little car in addition to what Lord Santos already reported? Or perhaps a new big train station as addition since there'll be the new trains next year, too? Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for that information, Lord Santos! sounds very interesting! Since you wrote BIG, I hope that the isn't too big - maximum 6 stucks wide (otherwise it doesn't fit in my City )! I hope so, too, Pencoin. That would be absolutely necessary since the last one was released a very long time ago! Klaus-Dieter

I must totally agree with what has been said until now: That's an excellent time and mainly - since I'm from Germany not very far away from Günburg ( ) - a brilliant joice of location to hold the EB Event, Ras! I would of course very much like to come, too, since it would be the first event (and surely only one for the next years) for me. The only problem I've got are financial problems. So if any I will only be able to visit the event for one day . Because of that I PMed Holodoc to get more information. And then I'll decide whether I plan to come or not. Btw: What is if (in a hopefully not appearing case) I can not come nevetheless but have already signed. From which date on is the registration so that if I can not visit the event I have to pay nevertheless/that you get big problems which TLG which I surely do not want? Klaus-Dieter

Oh, excuse me, Matija! Sometimes it seems that I really understand something wrong. That might be because of my very bad English. So to repete it for all that there are no missunderstandings anymore: TLG comfirmed that the 4999 Vestas Wind Power Plant will not be released to the general pubic. That we might get any set similar to that in the nearer future is very unrealistic to believe since otherwise TLG surely would have released the 4999 set for the general public. :cry_sad: Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for that proof, Matija! So TLG either noticed when designing the amazing 4999 Vestas Wind Power Plant that this set surely would interest a lot of Lego fans, too, and decided to design and release then an alternative set - or TLG was super fast after having received all the complaints about us and the whole (mainly) AFOL community. However a big compliment to TLG by anticipant! It's really bad to hear that it won't include this lovely cottage and the nice service van of 4999. But, hey, the main thing is that we'll be aible to get the power plant itself! And for giving us some very nice vehicles and cottages/apartment houses there is hope for 2010 or even later! So can you please forgive me my doubts, Lord Santos? Btw: Does "one of next year's town exclusives" mean that there will be more exclusive City sets than this one? - Oh wait, I think we already know the second exclusive City set (it'll officially be not called City set since - after my knowledge - all trains should be released as a whole seperate theme) will be the mainly on AFOLs orioentated train set, won't it?! Klaus-Dieter

Imo this idea of the return of the great 9 V system doens't lay to far away. Look at the past: The had been many years of trains when they were powered by batteries. After that there were some years when they were powered by the ? V system. An then there was a long period when they were powered by the 9 V system. And two years ago the battery system came back. So why shouldn't the 9 V system (or a system with transformers in general) come out in the later future, too? And again about the future: It's right that the prices for oil and still will rise immensely and the availability of oil and steel will drop immensely. But batteries are made out of a metallic casing and a toxic liquor inside. And the problem of more and garbage (in general - but toxic garbage, too) is as there like the problem of where to get alternatives for steel and oil, too. So if you regard it from that point of few a transformer based system would be much better. It would indeed need more oil and steel for the transformer and the tracks themselves, but there wouldn't be a problem with where to put the dangerous toxic garbage. The power for the transformer then would have to come from the electric network like today. And this power would have to be produced mainly by alternative energies. A good possibility imo is the very new invention of algae. They could use the carbon dioxide which is produced by emissions of factorys and produce with it energy. I don't know it in detail but when you then take the algae you can get some sort of fluid which you can either use for fuel or for something else which regrettably slipped my mind. And out of the fuel you then can produce again power which goes into the electric network and then in your transformer. But when you ask me I agree with you: I don't think that - if there isn't a magnificant positive development - we won't see any Lego (train) sets in the later future in the form of how we have them now. When you put a four stuck tall battery under the train it surely would draggle on the tracks since it's too tall, don't you think?! And for the tender: This would be a good idea for steam trains. But what then about today's trains?! Thank you very much for the links. It's really very useful to have them in one thread. Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much, zorro3999! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you all for your many votes and comments! I didn't expect a so big interest! Here are now at long last my votes: Which ideas would you prefer? Bakery Pharmacy Shop (non-food) Town Hall With Little Prison At the first place for me would be a bakery. A bakery would fit perfectly in the great 10193 set. And it would offer some - perhaps even new - food pieces and a central part of a city - the maintenance with food. And btw I think that a bakery would be very in demand by JFOLs, too. And since these medieval sets can not only be used for the Castle theme but even for the City and Pirates theme, too. At the second place for me would be a town hall with little prison. Every town - if medieval or modern - needs a town hall. Combined with a little prison as addition to the governor's office inside it would even include an element which is interesting for JFOLs (there might be some function that the wall can brake and the prisoner can escape). Do you think that there will be some add-ons in the future? Yes. Next year (2009). One add-on. But I must say that I'm not very sure. Firstly a long time after I had posted this topic I realised that this question with the possible answers is really a bit too much point of speculation. But now it's here - so: I think finding a solution is here very difficult. To the different possiblities: 1. There might be one add-on already in 2009. TLG might - like sombody already mentioned - have thought about the brilliant 10193 set as a big set to begin a whole line of exclusive medieval sets in comparison to the CC styled buildings in the Creator/City theme. If so, they might have planed to do the same with which they did with the CC styled buildings last year: One big set in the beginning of the year and one not that big set in summer. Surely TLG awaited a huge enthusiam among the (mainly) AFOL community with the excellent Medieval Market Village. So why should they leave it at only one set whereas there are lots of good ideas and possibilities to release more sets which the (mainly) AFOL community surely would buy, too?! 2. Imo it's unrealistic to believe that there'll be more than one add-on in 2009 since this would surely go beyond the scope of the producing capability of Lego and even go beyond the scope of the money which many AFOLs can use for Lego sets. 3. It might even be that there'll firstly will be an add-on in 2010 because TLG firstly wants to wait how this awesome set sells - and firstly after let's say about around summer then decide whether they'll release an add-on (which they by that time already must have designed) in 2010 or not. In 2011 or later it's very unrealsitic to believe that TLG will release an add-on because then there would be a break of minimum one year - and that's surely not sales-promotional. 4. I don't think - and mainly do really not hope - that TLG will not release add-ons on this brilliant set. But of course you can't be sure and it shall only be a "stand-alone". Imo this would be very stupid from TLG because 1. they would give away a lot of profits since (mainly) AFOLs would really, really like to buy some add-ons (which you can see on the reaction on this my topic and The Rancor's great topic) and 2. a lot of AFOLs surely would be very disappointed and angry if there isn't an add-on. Would you buy some add-ons to 10193 Medieval Market Village? Yes. At all events. Of course I would buy every possible add-on as long as it doesn't include any fantasy stuff (like in the regular new "Castle" sets) and as long as it is in the same "style" as the amazing 10193 Medieval Market Village (meaning including nice interior in the houses, minifigs and the hinge system). Which accessory would you like to be included in the add-ons? Draw Well Hayfork More Market Stands More Carriages Don't be angry with me - but it's really a shame that (after my knowledge) in this long time of the Castle theme (I don't mean only the last two years but all the time when Lego Castle sets have been released) there has been (despite from the little fountain in the big castle of the king from 1995/1996) no draw well although every castle had to include a draw well in order to maintenance its knights, soldiers, buttlers, ... with water when there was a siege. Consequently a draw well is really needed. The best would be to have a draw well on a seperate disc (like the big tree in the amazing 10193) so you can put it where you want to. It's really a pity that the mold of the old nice hayfork is gone. I had luck and bought two of them at an auction on ebay. But it's very seldom that they appear there - and if any then mostly at a totally overpriced price. To design exactly the same hayfork as the one which was included in some few Classic Castle sets is surely nearly impossible. But what about a newer, perhaps more modern and in grey color painted version? This hayfork then could be used for the great City Farm theme, too, where it regrettably really lacks, too. More market stands are a must. I shouldn't be unfriendly and should be happy that we actually got one - but only one market stand is for a whole market (even if it's only in a little medieval town) much to less. More carriages are really needed, too. What about a carriage filled with vegetables? And/Or what about a carriage for the princess and/or the king? (I already thought about a year ago why TLG doesn't release a "Castle" set with the princess'/king's carriage and some bad knights to attack it - like they did in the Duplo theme?!) And/Or what about a smuggler's car - a carriage with some (beer) barrely on top and a secret compartment in the underbody of the carriage filled with gold/jewels/...? Which new minifigs/characters would you like to be included? Baker Shop Owner Night Watchman Governor Pharmacist More women in general More kids in general More Town Folk in general Tax Collector Nothing special to say here. Since for a bakery, a shop, a town hall and a pharmacy a baker, a shop owner, a governor and a pharmacist are needed they should be new minifigs. A night watchman and a tax collector (which was zorro3999's great idea) would be a nice and senseful addition, too. More women, more kids and more town folk in general is really needed, too. To put it in a nutshell: The most I'd like to see a bakery , then a town hall with little prison (inside) and then a shop and a pharmacy. As additional stuff I'd like to see mainly a draw well and the comeback of a hayfork. And of course more market stands and more carriages. As minifigs I'd prefer a baker, a governor (for the town hall), a shop owner, a pharmacist, a night watchman and a tax collector. And of course more women, kids and more town folk in general would be great. But of course I'd like to see all (the) other ideas for houses, additional stuff and minifigs becoming true, too. I personally think that there surely - and hopefully - will be one add-on for about half of the price of the awesome 10193 Medieval Market Village either already in 2009 (which would be much better) or then in 2010. I would buy every possible add-on as long as it doesn't include any fantasy stuff and as long as its houses include nice interior and the hinge system. Thanks for reading this short comment ( )! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you all very much for your nice comments and your votes so far! DJ Force, I took the blacksmith' house from the awesome 10193 Medieval Market Village as archetype for this my MOC. The floor downstairs should only be built in grey. But some of the bricks which would be necessary for that aren't available in LDD. So it might perhaps look a bit "strange". Thank you very much, Guss! Like already mentioned - I took the blacksmith' house from the amazing 10193 set as archetype for that my MOC in order to give it a more adequate character as a possible add-on. I totally agree with you, Dwarvenlord: It's a bit overpriced. But consider that I designed it with LDD - and an individual product is always much more expensive than a set released by TLG. So if TLG hopefully releases a medieval bakery and a shop, this set surely would have a lower price. Thank you very much, I Scream Clone! Yes, it take me a lot of time to design this set. But for me the interior is something very important for a set (and when designing a MOC, too). Especially the white seats took a long time since I already designed several seats and now had to opt for one of them. The baker's shop interior was hard work, too, whereas the shop was very simple to furnsih. If you want to, you can download the instruction from Lego Factory. Go to the gallery and search for the name "Klaus-Dieter" (I hope this MOC is already published). Klaus-Dieter

So you mean that it might be possible that we'll see a comeback of the 9 V system in the later future, Hinckley? - I really hope so. As long as old 9 V train sets and tracks which are in a good condition are sold on Ebay for an affordable price (in early summer this year I bought a 9 V transformer with all the stuff which belongs to it for I think 6 or 8 Euros - isn't that a deal?! ) it's not that bad for me since I'll buy them (and when I don't like the momentary trains TLG produces I don't need to buy them (e. g. I didn't buy the RC trains since the passenger train was simply too JFOL orientated and the cargo train was - with its 160 Euros (plus high costs for batteries) - for my wallet and imo much too expensive )). The only problem would be if all these old 9 V train sets and tracks are no longer available or only for a much too high price or only in a very bad condition. That would be very bad since I plan to make a really big City and Western train layout - but surely not before in 10 years (firstly earning money and saving money is announced when I want to become these plans reality) . So you mean that the PF system will contain accumulators instead of batteries, paksu? - I really hope so. Nevertheless even the size is a problem. The 9 V motors simply were put down on the train so you had the chance to have either a detailed engine room (e. g. in a frieght train engine) or a nice room to store cargo or a lovely place to sit or sleep for passengers (e. g. in a passenger train). With the big battery or accumulator box the whole place (apart form the driver's cab) is gone . But complaining doesn't help. At the moment it seems as if TLG does not want to listen to us what the system concerns . So hopefully the AFOL orientated train will not be a train like the Hobby Train but something very exceptional like e. g. some sort of rapid-transit railway with a little platform - meaning a modern version of the classic Metroliner - or something similar to an Eastern- And Oriental Express . But since I'm not only a big City fan but even a (SW, classic Castle and) Wild West fan I would prefer a Western train - but I think that this regrettably will be very unlikely in 2009 . Klaus-Dieter

Excuse me, Lord Santos, I forgot to ask something: Does "a truck to transport it" mean a big vehicle which can transport the whole power plant or only the turbine? If it contains a vehicle to transport the whole power plant then I think that there must be a mobile crane included in this set, too, for playing a buildup of the power plant, don't you think? I wouldn't be too sure about that since 1. this information might be wrong (I don't mean that Lord Santos tells us something wrong but there might have been some "bad guy" who told Lord Santos something wrong) and 2. if TLG decided to release a set like the one Lord Santos described, then they made this decision firstly after all the complaints of the (mainly) AFOL community about the not public release of the amazing 4999. And that means that they supposably made this decision in summer/early fall this year - which means that (when you take minimum 1,5 years for the development of a set like Lego mentioned some time ago) this set supposably won't be released before January 2010 . Klaus-Dieter

Congratulations to WhiteFang and TheBrickster! I hope you'll do your job well (of course I know that you'll of course do your job very well ) and I wish you a lot of fun! Klaus-Dieter

Moose, it's actually like Freddie already said: There is no new information and so we've to wait. But I personally think that we haven't to wait until until summer. Summer '09 will be very supposably the date of release of the new train sets. So pics and/or at least more information will be there when the American Toy Fair is taking place (February). Generally I'm not that excited about the new trains. I liked the 9 V system much more than the new theme (mainly because of the high prices for little batteries for the new PF system) and - since there supposably regrettably will be only two JFOL orientated trains and an AFOL train but more in the function of the Hobby Train (so supposably no interior, no minifigs, no nice additional stuff, ...) - I think 2010 will be regarding the train theme much better than 2009 because then in 2010 there would be place for some additional train cars, engines, buildings, ... and I hope TLG will release some of them. Klaus-Dieter

Yes, some Mexican sets would be great. But in fact I wanted to have some new Wild West sets which take place in North America (like the amazing old theme from 1996/97). And for the City theme (but it of course could be used in the Western theme, too) I would like to see to see a roundhouse with three places to store engines. I think that with the new power functions an electric functioning turntable for the engines would be a great idea, too. And I'd like to see more additional train stuff like buildings, stations, depots, engine sheds, waggons, service vehicles, minifigs, ... in the City theme as well as in a - hopefully - new Western theme. As a whole new subtheme for the City theme I'd like to see some Winter/Christmas sets: Christmas Fair, Santa Claus' Carriage with reindeers, snow-covered house, snow-covered train station, big Christmas Tree with electric lightning, ... Kids love Christmas and winter, so this theme surely would be a success. And as a whole new subtheme for the Western theme I'd like to see some Ghost Town sets (like the excellent MOCs of our members Brickminer and TheBrickster): Ghost Town, Haunted Stage Coach, Haunted Windmill, ... With the big success of many fantasy elements in the new "Castle" theme, this Ghost Town theme would surely be a big success. Klaus-Dieter

Hello everybody! The last days of my semester break I decided to desgin a possible add-on for the amazing 10193 Medieval Market Village set. Here is the result: Medieval Bakery And Shop Pieces: 627 Price: 76,35 Somewhere in the medieval Lego town you can find a bakery and a shop. Help the baker at baking or the shop owner at selling his goods. Where does the woman and the little child go? Will they buy some croissants from the baker? Or buy some tea in the shop? The bakery building contains baker's shop, living room and garret; the shop building contains shop, sleeping room and garret. Both houses are built up seperately so you can put them together to one big house. Please vote! Comments are welcome! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for that information, Lord Santos! Like Dr. Brick I have the same question: Have you got some proof for that? It's not that I want to allege that you have lied - but there were several "bad guys" in the past which propagated wrong inforamtion. So I hope you won't. Klaus-Dieter