tafkatb

Well, each MBA kit can be built into multiple different models, with no single "main" model that uses all the pieces. So there's probably a good number of extra parts beyond what's seen in the assembled sets.

From what I can tell, it doesn't seem to matter - order it now and it will ship in May regardless of whether you've gotten all the Level 2 kits yet. I'm not too concerned about going in order myself, but I think I'll wait until later in the year to get mine.

Just noticed this on the S@H site - MBA Level 3, Adventure Designer, is now available for pre-order and ships by May 1. I think it looks pretty cool - expanding beyond the 3-in-1 kits to 11-in-1 (!) and tying all 3 kits together with a cohesive theme and modular connections. These kits look a lot more like LEGO sets rather than just models, teaching kids to develop storylines and play features (no flick-fire missiles from what I could see though ), much like what the designers actually do. I know MBA isn't super popular among AFOLs but I think I'll be getting it.

I am trying to place an order on shop.lego.com, and every time I try to enter my credit card information, I get the message, "Some information was missing or incorrect. Please correct before continuing." Except nothing is actually missing or incorrect. All the information is there and accurate. LEGO, I am trying to give you my money and you won't let me. Has anyone else had this problem? How do I resolve it, short of using a different card (I only have the one)?

Well, LEGO sets - even small ones - have a longer development process than you might think, so there's a good chance there wasn't time to make a satisfactory Mini Pet Shop. I suspect we'll see a "Mini Modulars II" in a few years with the next five buildings, though if 10230 sells really well they might decide to release individual buildings so we don't have to wait that long.

Professor X, but mostly just to have a LEGO wheelchair... and a Patrick Stewart face to make Captain Picard. The Dark Knight's Joker Literally every single character from Watchmen - including all the original Minutemen, Moloch the Mystic, Captain Axis, Seymour, Bernie and Bernard, and... Richard Nixon.

I still think of 1x1 round plates as "nurdles." I called studs "bumps," so bricks had names like "four-bumper." My partner refers to Erling bricks as cameras. I'm sure there are plenty more, but none I can remember at the moment.

I really wanted to add both of those, but was a bit limited by the parts I have available - I wasn't satisfied with any of my attempts at a steam cloud since almost all my white parts are square. I think I should order a few dozen ice cream pieces; I often see those used as steam/smoke and really like the look of them. Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I've got some great ideas now on how to improve this moving forward.

Thank you. I do think Medium Nougat would have been a nice color for the building, but that shouldn't be a difficult modification to make. The Dark Orange certainly suits it well, too - it's a much more subtle color in real life than the box art makes it seem.

Great review - and great pictures! You raise a good point about selling it in the gift shop - while it would have been nice to see this as the next big sculptural set, it would have been way too expensive for a souvenir. When we first saw pictures, I said I'd reserve judgment until I saw it from different angles, so here goes: I'd say it's a successful representation. It's at least as good as the Hancock Center or Guggenheim Museum, both of which had forms that were really difficult to capture at their respective scales with the parts available. It's a little "gappy," sure, and as everyone is quick to point out, the sails don't come to a point, but there's certainly no mistaking it for any other building. It's actually a pretty spot-on rendition when seen from certain angles, as your photo comparisons show - especially from a low angle along the side, which is the view most people are familiar with. I might get it if I come into some extra cash, but I'm saving up for the Eames House later this year.

Yes! So glad this theme's getting more attention! (I may be a bit biased toward it, what with the whole having an Architecture degree thing. Plus Fallingwater singlehandedly brought me out of my dark ages.) I'm really excited to see what the contest is - I will probably finally enter one.

I love the Bright Green! Now, if only the banana piece came in Dark Brown... I mean, come on, who throws away a perfectly good banana?!

Since we know the set's going to cost $70USD, I'd say you've pretty much nailed the scale then! It all comes down to those curved walls on top, I think - I'd bet anything the official version will use 2x2 "macaroni" pieces like you did, with the rest of the building sized according to that scale. I'm definitely most excited about the Eames House though - I've always thought that it looks like it was built out of LEGO anyway. Probably going to be a few more months before we get any pictures.

I imagine that's not too far off from what the real one will look like. How many pieces are in yours?

Here's one very rough idea of how you could make the basic structure: Start with several modules like this... then link them together in a circle and turn the angled plates inward. Then use more plates or tiles to cover the joints. Experiment with other variations on the exact shape and size of the plates you use until you get what you're looking for. Hope this helps!

Oh, I'll definitely keep tinkering! I used up all my ball joints on this - all I had was what came with 6862 - but I'm subscribing to MBA so I'll experiment with bigger and more articulated builds when the Robot Designer kit comes in.

Now I wonder what the picture might be for "What TLG thinks I do"

As I'm starting to get more into sci-fi building, I decided to explore Steampunk and Mecha, two genres I've never really done much with. This is my first effort - it started as just a recolored version of Power Armor Lex, but quickly became something else entirely: Back detail, showing the rear-mounted boiler and how I used clips and 4L bars to stabilize the connection between the rectilinear cockpit and hexagonal swivel base:

I knew a Villa Savoye set was pretty much inevitable - definitely not getting it since I hate Corbusier - but the Eames House is a pleasant surprise! Hopefully it's scaled about the same as the Farnsworth House. On a side note, this is still going on, though Habitat 67 has a pretty decisive lead so I think it's safe to say we'll see that as a set in the near future.

Very nicely done! Needs more flick-fire missiles though. And stickers, gotta have stickers. I think some sort of large walking vehicle, like from War of the Worlds, would look cool in this aesthetic.

Really, I think the main problem is that the Town Hall is placed right next to the Fire Brigade - the two are just way too similar. It makes the FB look like the TH's clingy little brother or something. I am curious to see how other people arrange their modulars and their justification for their own layouts.

I really don't get why TLG is so intent on having conflict-based themes - I mean, yes, it sells, but that doesn't mean every single theme (aside from, like, Friends and Creator) needs to center on a conflict. If anything, I would think a more exploration-focused space theme would be preferable since it's less similar to Star Wars, thus avoiding the "internal competition" that TLG tries to avoid by, for instance, setting aside the Pirates line to do Pirates of the Caribbean. What would be really cool, I think, would be a reboot of Classic Space designed as a sort of sequel to Alien Conquest - 50 years later, ADU scientists have reverse-engineered the captured alien ships and built their own (in a whole new color scheme, of course) and are setting out to explore the galaxy.

Every woman's dream! I do find it amazing that she was born in '81 though - that's pretty young for an architect. Kinda makes me feel like I haven't accomplished much... Oh, and Astrid's bio on the Creator site features this interesting tidbit:

Very nice! One of my favorite albums. You could use a white life preserver piece for the pin too, if you have one.

Hahahahahaha - I love the video! (Especially the bit where he adds an "S" to LEGO and then deletes it...)