Hrw-Amen

So the actual game with the little speedorz, how does it go? Much against my better judgement I picked one up on 24/12, have made all the bits, read the instructions but was left thinking I had not idea what I was supposed to do. How do you determine who has won? I assume that you are are supposed to launch the Speedorz off the green ramps with the mini-figs holding on to one of the weapons. I am guessing that the general Idea is to get them to knock down the palm leaf tower radar type tree and release the ball? The one that does that first wins the turn. Then that winning player turns over one of his cards and chooses one of the four numbers listed. (I presume you chose the highest one with the blue lightening going to it?) The other player then turns over one of their cards and whoever has the highest power for the one chosen by the first player wins, getting two crystals. However to count as higher the opposing player has to also have the power connect by a blue energy lightening thingy. If it is not then the default winner is the person who knocked over the palm tree in the first place? So anyone got anything to add or is that pretty much how it goes? The instructions are a bit vague, at least to an adult?

I got from one of my friends the free Sun Uruk Hai polybag and my cat got me two series 8 mini-figs but I have not opened them so do not know which ones. Did not get any from my mother or wife so a bit disappointed really. I did buy the Unexpected Gathering, but as I had to pay for it its not really a present.

Very nice truck, the blue looks good for a change and seven wide is great, I guess you can squeeze two mini-figs next to each other if the arms are right? It would be a great truck even without train wheels but that gives it a variety of uses. Can I ask how common these type of vehicles are? I see a lot of people with them in the layouts or collection including me with the one from the level crossing. But apart from one yellow lorry that had some sort of cable laying getup and a cab for work men I have not seen any actual vehicles in the UK. So I guess what would one use such a vehicle for, I am guessing you cannot simply drive up get on the tracks and drive off?

Not so sure I am going to like these now. Just bought and built Razcal's Glider and on reflection it looks like something the cat killed and has dumped in the garden a couple of weeks ago. t is just awful, looks like a skeletal kind of zombie bird and has pretty much put me off. Maybe it was not the best set to start with but it was the cheapest.

No i did mean here on Eurobricks, but was talking about for a long time that I have been pondering it, quite a long time before the last upgrade and could never figure it out as there did not seem to be any consistency. I will keep an eye on them from now on then. 25 post, thanks for that anyway.

I have been thinking of some coal trucks for a while now and developing a goods loading yard/siding. I like the look of the crane, I was going to use the base of the green one from the yellow cargo train for mine, but your with the mining stuff looks good. I have been getting some of those trucks myself so may have a think about it. Certainly does look good. One small point though, how does the crane driver get to the roof of the building to access his crane? Is there going to be a ladder or a access hatch in the roof of the building?

I have been thinking about this for a while now. I know it may seem an odd thing and rather boring but I just cannot figure it out. OK it is not actually about LEGO but it is about the LEGO Forum so I guessed General was the right place for it as non of the others seemed relevant. Perhaps some of the MODS know the answer? At first I thought it was simply the number of replies, for example 15 replies and it would go to page two, but that does not seem to be the case. I have seen threads that have very few replies but go to page two, then threads that have nearly 20 odd replies and are still on page one. I thought about the length of posts, some have lots of pictures and so take up more space but then they also seem in some occasions to get lots of replies and still be on page one, whereas others with a similar picture count seem to go to page two after only a couple of replies? The only thing I could think of was the amount of memory a thread takes per page, but as most photos are linked from external sources I felt this was unlikely as they are simply a link and not the actual photo. So I have no idea how this works. Does anyone know or for that matter care?

I think it is using a bit of common sense. Most WH Smith's that I have been in have the mini-figs near the cashier counter so if they are busy they do not want people in the way of others trying to pay so may not put up with those hanging around getting in the way of other customers by feeling countless bags. On the other hand if you go in when they are quiet and have no queues I have found they are more than happy to put up with a bit of bag feeling and even help out. It is just a matter of choosing your timing which I know can be hard sometimes but you have to look at it from a customer service perspective for the majority. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, unless the store is empty!

What is a stig? Is it some kind of Australian post office thing? Nice to see your Christmas train though. I only get to put mine up from Christmas eve to Boxing day though due to room constraints.

Good to see the video, although I see what you mean about the traction. It may be worth investing in some either from Bricklink or TLG direct if they will sell some to you? I would not like to be the fireman on a train like that, it seems such tiring work from your breathing heavy in the film!

It is a shame your school would not let you print that T-Shirt! Have you since managed to get it printed else where, I think it is quite cool!

The narrow gauge just looks like the old 4.5V era track in a modern colour to me. It is a pity really but I guess it is cheaper. I don't think we will get a straight to match the narrow gauge curves unless there is a call for ir in some future set that requires a lot of narrow gauge straights that have to connect to curves. We might then but what that set would be escapes me? Maybe part of a CITY themed fair ground with a roller coaster or similar? I can't think of much else.

I have to agree with that, the Western Modulars seem to have been the best of the lot so far. I would like to get the BTTF set so taking nothing away from that and lets hope the set is a good one. But am really disappointed about the Western set. I cannot see how it would conflict, I imagine any modular is going to be something that would appeal to older fans as opposed to the Lone Ranger sets that will mostly appeal to kids. Nothing wrong with the Lone Ramger sets, I probably won't get any, but I almost certainly would have bought some good quality designed Western Modulars. But there we go, that is the porcupine pricks as they say.

Anyone have any updates on dates these will go on sale and what the price is likely to be yet? Have looked on the site but no update yet. Obviously I can (and will if needs be.) contact hime via e-mail, but did not want to keep bombarding him for no reason if someone else has had recent communication as to this? i did note that right at the top the first bit of track pictured appears to have much darker brown sleepers, is this a new colour or is it just the camera lighting?

Looks really nice in the window there, reminds me of the sort of thing I would see as a kid in toy shops at Christmas. Now they are too busy with 'sale' signs and things commercial to put up a good Christmas display it seems. Yours is especially nice with the two trains running and those Octan wagons look good.

I have three coaches on my Emerald Night, they are all modified to be seven studs wide to fit the rest of my rolling stock. I think this is a good number considering the expense of things like the windows and glass. I would like to build another one but as a brake / parcel coach as opposed to the rest which are similar to each other. One day I'll get around to it.

Looks like a nice little village train halt, love all the little details in there and the light brick illuminating the light itself is great.

Unfortunately for me I do not have any children to take to such places with me, I would really like to have a child but the wife is not keen. However as a childless person I am not in any way a child molester or have any inclination towards that sort of thing. But i can understand why companies have these sort of rules. Sometimes it causes problems for ordinary law abiding people, but just think of the problems you may have if you were there without a child and someone started a rumour with the staff or other parents about that creepy man or woman over in the corner looking at their child. That would be horrendous, it is much better to be safe than sorry on all accounts I feel, so i can see why they do it. Yes they are covering themselves but with some of the stories that are in the media you cannot really blame them. Just look at it as though they are not only protecting themselves but they are also protecting you, their valued customer from false allegations.

Is there a reason that you cannot just order the mini-figs you want from Bricklink or e-bay or some other kind of after-market outlet yourself? If you only want one or two of each type surely this is the best way to get them as I doubt any store is going to buy a whole load of a product they cannot sell at a profit just so that you can buy a handful from them, it just would not make any business sense. I don't suppose any store managers would mind you mentioning to them that a place exists where people can get the figures they are missing as sometimes they will no doubt get asked by people who have not got X or Y mini-fig if they know of a place where they are likely to be able to buy them, so that bit of information is good to have just for the sake of good customer service and being able to point someone in the right direction. That is a about all that I can think of though and to be honest most reasonable store managers who specialise in that sort of product would probably know that information anyway. It is a bit like when you phone LEGO Customer Service wanting a discontinued part they will mention Bricklink. They do not actually sell it themselves but they can direct you to somewhere that probably will.

I did ask if the Series 9 were on the way at my local toy store today, but they said that they were not even aware of them being released and have not ordered any yet.

I have until this weekend avoided buying any actual CITY buildings recently. The last one I had was as a child and it was in the old scale around 1975/6'ish if I had to guess. I have built many buildings myself but always in the style of modulars that you lift the floors off to access inside. I have been aware of these 'open' backed CITY buildings of course for a long time as I have bought and made trains and other CITY vehicles so have seen what was on offer. Now this weekend I finally bought the Forest Police Station, more because I wanted to get the complete set of Forest Police as well as the bear than anything else, although I have to say that the overall look of the set did remind me of a police station near to where I live which although made out of old red brick nonetheless has a central entrance and offices on one side and cell blocks on the other. Anyway, after building it I found myself thinking that it looked a little, I don't know, open I guess. I mean the inmates can just walk out the back not to mention that they and the police will get very wet if the wind is blowing the rain or snow the right way! Now of course I realise that these are made like this to allow kids easy access to sets for playability and I am not grumbling about that, I knew what I was getting after all. What I wanted to ask though is it common or indeed does anyone ever build backs to add to these open buildings? I find myself wanting to build rear walls as well as fill in little gaps like in the sloping roof where a little 1X1 blue plate would nicely fill in a hole. I was thinking of building them in the manner such as they would still swing open on a hinge like in a lot of other sets, (Say the LoTR Weather top for example.) in order to keep the playability to a degree but still make it a complete building so that it would if required fit along with my own buildings. I just wondered how common this was?

What about the alien conquest head huggers, they are not white admittedly but they have that cartoon ghost look about them.

Here is a small snow scene I have made with the Christmas set from this year and a Christmas tree from last year as well as a few other fir type trees and santa's. It is not very big and nothing special but it is seasonal so I thought I'd share it.

Really like the front of the station, the detailing. Also the little statue bit, does this represent a real one that you have in mind or is it a fiction, either way it is good to have things like this, they make the scene stand out.

If a box contains just thirty mini-figs and is certail to have one complete set, then I will definately be interested in getting one. I can always just use the others as random people in my town.