Klaus-Dieter

In 1996/1997 TLG released an excellent Western theme - the first and until now regrettably even only Western theme with regular minifigs. It was a great theme with such a huge spectrum of sets: There were the all-known bandits fighting against the Sheriff, e. g. in the 6799 Showdown Canyon, there were the soldiers fighting against the bandits, e. g. in the 6769 Fort Legoredo and there were the Indians hunting, driving canoe and making fire on their fireplaces, e. g. in the 6766 Rapid River Village. A list of all Western sets you can find here and here. This theme contained everything a real Lego (Western) fan needed: Great locations, buildings, new elements and minifigs for AFOLs. A lot of playability, action elements and self-explaining character of the sets for the JFOLs. Regrettably TLG missed a lot of very important typical Western elements in these sets: Some of them are e. g. a stage coach with post office, a saloon, a Western train with train station, a farm or ranch, a whole ghost town subtheme and many more. In order to give JFOLs the chance to discover the Western theme with some classic sets (like e. g. a bank and a sheriff's office) and in order to give AFOLs the chance to re-discover the Western theme with some new sets to complete their collection (like e. g. a stage coach and a saloon) it's now up to you to join in this petition! The success of the new Pirates theme has shown that bringing back classic themes (after a long period of no sets of this theme) is going to be huge success! So why shouldn't it work with Western sets, too?! Please sign in and let's hope that TLG will answer our prayers! Klaus-Dieter

That's a great MOC, Svelte! I really it! The idea of putting 10193 and 10199 together is really great! I mainly like the nice Christmas decorations you added to the house, the mediveal jesper in the box and the small frozen lake. Very well done! Klaus-Dieter

Let me explain why I did include the Emerald Night and the Winter Toy Shop in this poll: To the Winter Toy Shop: I totally agree with you that this is an exclusive set. But it contains so many contents which are typical for a City set: many minifigs, small house abd open backwalls. To the Emerald Night: I here totally agree with you that this is an exclusive set, too. But it is a typical Train set: locomotive, train car with interior and minifigs. In the past the train sets were mostly counted to City and included in City layouts in official catalogues, too. To the Caroussel and the Fire Brigade: These sets don't go very well with the "normal" City sets since their size is much too huge in comparison to regular (and even exclusive) City sets. With the Fire Brigade you can imo think about adding it to the poll. But do you really think that the Caroussel has anything in common with all other exclusive and regular City sets?! The problem with making a poll only for the Excluives of all different themes is that they can only hardly be compared: How can you judge whether e. g. a Tantive Four is better or worse than a Winter Toy Shop?! Imo you can not compare this since these themes are much too different. I fear that it then would only depend on the likes and dislikes of the different themes the person who votes has. And what about e. g. people who like SW as well as City - for which set should they then vote?! Nevertheless I do agree with you that it would supposably better to have a poll only with the regular City sets and one with 10194, 10196, 10197 and 10199. The only problem is that a lot of people already voted. So please let me know. Klaus-Dieter

Supposably you are right, darthperson - or at least I hope so. This year's Sports Car includes (apart from the minifig and the car itself) two additional contents: a fruit tree and an emergency telephone box. But the Car includes apart from the minifig and the car itself only that suitcase. So the Car is surely not more than the Sports Car costs (since even if it was the same price this would be a price increase). Now I think I know why the design of the Car looks a bit strange: it's only on the official box art where it looks strange - in the picture which shows it without background it looks much better. Btw: Since we've got no official single box art pics of the Airport sets, the Tank Truck, the Piglets Enclosure With Tractor and the two remaining Fire sets and since it would even be strange if we only got only big sets in January but no small sets I bet that the sets of which Alywin now showed us pics will be released in December 2009/January 2010 and all the other City sets (we know until now) in March/April/June 2010. Klaus-Dieter

Oh, sorry, I prescribed - I of course wanted to write "with a light grey helmet". Thanks for calling my attention to this, General Magma. I totally agree with you, General Magma, - only with that a small helmet it surely would get very cold. Nevertheless I think that this minifigure would/will looks fine - if only TLG gave it a new different torso. Klaus-Dieter

If he meant it this way than he's of course right! A pro-argument would be that there even appeared medieval non-war minifigs in non-exclusive Castle sets: the medieval maiden and the jester in last year's advent calendar and the jester and the queen in one of this year's Castle sets. You do think about something like a comeback of the Forestmen theme, don't you?! That would be ! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for the pics, the sets descriptions and the price information, Alywin! Like already mentioned before, the Fire Helicopter and the Fire Station don't interest me: the Fire Helicopter is much too huge for my liking and the Fire Station much too common. Seaplane + excellent design - only common and not very well fitting minifig small "location" on grass (why not a very small pier instead?!) Car - very expensive strange design no female minifig (instead of the male minifig) + no number plate (so you can have a lot of these cars in your city without looking strange because of the equal number plate) car doors excellent new male minifig Fire Boat - very huge sleeper-cab is risible how can the dinghy be launched?! + roof and upper floor can be removed to play inside excellent desgin even a decent interior!!! Lighting Repair - tan baseplate (why not dark grey for a sidewalk?!) new design of the foot of the street lamp and different colors (in comparison to the ones included in 7641) + many tools and additional lamps car doors excellent desgin All in all: I must admit that the first half of 2010 City will be getting much better than I firstly feared. Of course we'll get the common regular Fire and Airport sets. But who cares since we'll get some small excellent civilian sets and a very well designed Fire Boat in which TLG even included a nice interior?! The Lighting Car is imo the absolute winner of the first half of 2010 City sets (imo even better than the Piglets Enclosure With Tractor)! Klaus-Dieter

These are all great entries! My vote goes to SNCF Freight Train by Selander since this train includes everything a decent cargo train set should include: big engine, freight waggons of different kinds, fork lift and some accessory. Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for the sets descriptions, Seijitai! One additional negative annotation: Since the minifigure in the Snow Troopers BP is officially called "Imperial Officer" we surely will get the common regular Imp. Trooper but with a light-grey helmet. Why do we never get a new torso for an Imp. Officer such as for a lieutenant, a colonel, a captain, ...?! The Imperial fleet really needs more different officers! One additional positive annotation: Since the minifigure in the Rebel Troopers BP is officially called "Zev Senesca" this means that we can await a new helmet design! Klaus-Dieter

I'm not that sure about this. Many AFOLs want civilians and kids want knights and fantasy creatures. So I think it is the best - and I even bet that this will be how TLG will do - to release a Caslte Exclusive every about two years with many medieval civilian stuff for AFOLs but release the regular Castle sets with only very few civilian stuff. Btw: Action does not necessarily mean that there have to be fantasy creatures and elements included. Of course it can - but there can be only humans, only fantasy creatures or a mixture between both. Klaus-Dieter

No, I have to offer an excuse to all of you who feeled attacked by my post. This was surely not meant as a personal attack towards you, Front. In my oipinion this forum is there to share your thoughts about MOCs but even about new and upcoming official sets - positive and negative criticism. If members are attacked only by saying that they really dislike some sets or themes and so this place shall be only allowed to say what is nice and good but keep your criticism for yourself then this will absolutely make no sense - this is luckily a democratic forum and no totalitarian, isn't it?! And btw: If you look into other subforums you can see that I do not always only write what I dislike and that I do not only like (civilian) City and everything other is bad. E. g. I praised the 10210 Imperial Flagship and many of this year's Pirates sets although I do not buy and collect Pirates sets. Nevertheless this is no excuse and so I'll try in the future to share my criticism with more arguments (instead of many smilies and perhaps too bad words): It's without doubts that these Atlantis (and even the current Castle, Bionicle, Space Police and Power Miners) sets are - for which they shall be - very well designed. E. g. the shark's and the octopus' heads look super terrifying. But I don't like that mixture of fantasy and horror - huge undersea monsters etc. Perhaps that's a result of when I grew up with Lego there were nearly only "realistic" themes (such as City, Castle, ...) and the themes like Space Police were really harmless. Supposably you can't understand me since you are big fans of these themes - but I regrettably can not comprehend how people like a toy which looks like a license from some horror movie. When I buy a set I want it to look nice and lovely (I really like SW sets - but even there there are creatures (like e. g. the Gamourrean Guard) which are marginal - at least even it is from Lego I would never say that such a creature looks nice - well-designed, yes, but not nice). On the other hand I of course even understand TLG: Since many people seem to like these fantasy/horror themes and sets it would be unwise to not release these sets since they would loose many customers and much profit. And in the end the money they earn with these themes even helps to that they have money to release some nice (exclusive) sets. I hope that you now understand my averseness to fantasy themes better - please keep in mind that it never was nor still is my aim to attack anyone by this my opinion. I hope that as from now we can again speak peacefully and with respect to each other. Have a nice time! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for the pics everyone! I did even already not like the Aquazone sets from the mid-nineties, the Aquazone sets from 2007 were ugly (and the Power Miners and Space Police sets are bad enough) - but for this new theme I really miss words: :sick: Is that really Lego?! And does one ugly theme like Bionicle not suffice?! Parents which buy some of these sets for their kids must be ! It's really a shame that TLG wastes its and ours time and money with developing and releasing such sets! Klaus-Dieter

(Yes, I do. I owned it til last Xmas when I sold it to get some money in order to save for the new Endor set which looks much better and includes much better and exciting contents.) But since there are new torso desgins for the Ewoks, new Speeder Bikes and since the set from 2002 is nearly 8 year ago: What speaks against a new Endor BP?! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, Bobskink! I really it! I indeed can't imagine TLG releasing this one since it's more kind of a small set than a BP. Nevertheless the composition of the different contents - minifigs and vehicle - is great! The two aliens look great. Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, Danthebrick! I really it! If you overworked the design of the Bantha it would be a perfect Tatooine BP which finally would include a Bantha we're so long waiting for! Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, Forresto! I really it! I indeed can't imagine TLG releasing this one since it's more kind of a small set than a BP. Nevertheless the composition of the different contents - minifigs, small vehicle and additional stuff - is great! I mainly like the Ithorian - great head"mold"! Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, KnightlyKnight! I really it! If you included two regular Stormtroopers instead of the Scout Trooper and the Sand Trooper it would be a perfect BP! Very, very well done! I totally agree with you, KnightlyKnight! An Imperial Gunner is really needed! Klaus-Dieter

That's a great entry, Darth Lion! I really it! I indeed can't imagine TLG releasing this one since most people surely would only buy one - and BPs are there for buying many of them. Nevertheless the composition of the different contents - minifigs, small vehicle and additional stuff - is great! The head of the one alien looks great. Very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, LegoJoe! I really it! It definately is the perfect Imperial BP! The minifigs as well as the scenery and the small vehicle go all perfectly together. This would be an amazing BP since 1. it would give those people which can't afford the DS a small Death Star scenery to play with and 2. it would offer the DS Trooper/Imperial Trooper in a cheap(er) set so that you can get many of them. Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, badboytje88! I really it! I indeed can't imagine TLG releasing this one since it's more kind of a small set than a BP. Nevertheless the composition of the different contents - minifigs, small vehicle and additional stuff - is great! These four characters are done very well! Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's a great entry, DarthPineapple! I really it! This would be a great BP! The only con it has is the minifigure constellation: Which sense does it make to include four Ewoks and only the helmets of a Scout Trooper and a Storm Trooper?! If you included two Ewoks, a Stormtrooper, a Scouttrooper and instead of the barbecue a Scout Speeder Bike it would be the perfect Endor BP! Very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's an awesome entry, jansued! I really it! If you included regular Stormtroopers (and not silvern Stormtroopers which in the movies do not exist) it would be a perfect BP! Very, very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's a great entry, Mos_Eisley! I really it! I indeed can't imagine TLG releasing this one since it's more kind of a small set than a BP. Nevertheless the composition of the different contents - minifigs, small vehicle and additional stuff - is great! Very well done! Klaus-Dieter

That's a great entry, cole! I really it! I indeed can't imagine TLG releasing this one since most people surely would only buy one - and BPs are there for buying many of them. Nevertheless the composition of the different contents - minifigs, small vehicle and additional stuff - is great! Very well done! Klaus-Dieter

Thank you very much for this great review, emilec! I really this set and would even say that it is above average since it includes two motorbikes, a bicycle, two minifigs and some additional stuff. Nevertheless I like the new cycle shop from the awesome 7641 City Corner more than this classic cycle shop: Although the classic cycle car includes some sort of cash point (which TLG regrettably missed in 7641) and I prefer much more a black bicycle I must say that the design of the cycle shop in 7641 looks much better - especially with this big show box with the skateboard, the cap and the helmet inside. Klaus-Dieter