hagridshut

Nice work on the tilting columns of Gringotts, and the crooked chimneys on top of Olivanders. Wizard crowds look lively

So much better than the original! Imagine this in Ice Planet colors...

I just saw a photo of the 2021 Creator 3-in-1 catalog on YouTube. Space Mining Mech is similar to the Underwater Robot, except that it is white and has a rotating saw blade on one arm. Most of the body of the robot is white, although the joints and trim is black. The head appears to be a trans dark gray bubble. I'm unable to determine if a minifigure can fit inside. Small side builds are a brick built alien and a small patch of terrain with green minerals. Not sure I like this one, but I'll have to see higher res photos to know for sure. The Wildlife House is a tree house with brick built giraffe and some birds. Looks nice. There's also a Beach House with brick built shark.

This is an amazing build! It's like a flying city in space.

I saw a similar style space suit in one of the old episodes: the one worn by Captain Dash in "200", from holovid archive footage taken while he was developing prototype FTL ships. This footage was from before he disappeared...

Another observation on 31107 - Space Rover Explorer It somewhat resembles artwork from the Simon Stalenhag book Things From The Flood, specifically this photo of exploration vehicles: https://simonstalenhag.se/tftfbig/34.jpg Specifically: the pilot's area with windows that provide a view to the ground, the door on the side, floodlights, and big wheels mounted on pivoting sections. The proportions are somewhat different and the Stalenhag vehicle lacks windows, a crane, and visible coms antennas, but the shape and general functionality appears similar.

Thinking back to how I used LEGO sets 25-30 years ago, they were basically "buckets of bricks". Whenever I acquired a space set, I'd build the model from the instructions, play with it for a few days, and then disassemble it for use in space MOCs. It wasn't until about 10 years ago that I retrieved my box of LEGOs from storage and began reconstructing a few of the original models from the instruction booklets. Space sets had several types of unique elements. Minifigures are the obvious example. Certain types of structural elements like Support 2 x 4 x 5 Stanchion Inclined, 3mm Wide Posts, trans-colored bricks, plates, windows and canopies, and printed computer consoles are other pieces that made Space sets different from City, Castle, and Pirates. For MOC builders, I think having a big dedicated theme available for purchase is less important than having an available library of components to build interesting Space things. Star Wars sets do provide a number of canopy and computer pieces, although the generally drab color palate is my biggest problem with them. For Collectors, or casual hobbyists looking to occasionally build a model for fun, I can see why lack of new in-house Space sets might be boring. My read on the situation is that where "Classic" themes are concerned, Creator 3-in-1 is the future. This year's Space Rover provides a very nice library of components that can be appreciated by children and adult hobbyists alike. Same with the Creator 3-in-1 Pirate Ship, for those who enjoyed Pirates. The Lego Movie and The Lego Movie 2 also provided a few years of space themed products. For those who want to build Space, LEGO is providing the materials. Sure, I'd like another product line that brings us sub-themes like Ice Planet or original Blacktron, but even without these, there are still plenty of sets that provide options for Space builders.

Any thoughts on 31107 - Space Rover Explorer? The detail on the minifigure torso is superb. I don't think I've ever seen a Space Agency logo printed with such sharp and fine lines.

Some quick thoughts on 31107 - Space Rover Explorer Nice build of moderate complexity. There's a wide array of component types and colors in this set, making it a boon for children and adult MOC builders alike. When opening the bags, the varied and interesting color palette was the first thing I noticed. I really like the detailed printing on the astronaut minifgure's torso. The other 2 characters included in the set: a green alien and a rover droid, are clever builds. This is not a "Classic Space" set, as it is closer to hard SciFi rather than fantasy SciFi (Think James SA Corey's The Expanse rather than something like The 5th Element), but the vehicle would not look totally out of place in a Classic Space scene. The walkie-talkie, wrench, and printed computer panels are clear homages to Classic Space. Overall, a nice buy. I highly recommend for Lego Space enthusiasts.

Just got this: 31107 - Space Rover Explorer. Creator 3-in-1 is becoming one of my favorite themes, and I want to support LEGO's in-house Space lineup as much as possible.

We may have lost the Space theme, but LEGO is still making some Space sets. There were some nice spaceships from The Lego Movie and The Lego Movie 2. The latest wave of Creator 3-in-1 sets has a nice exploration rover.

How many people or parents pay attention to the age ratings? I never did, and neither did my parents 25-30 years ago. I built an Intergalactic Command Base by myself at age 4-5. I think many parents will sort of know what level of building complexity their child can handle. The age ranges are general guidelines, nothing more.

I've purchased a few items, both before and after LEGO Group announced its purchase of Bricklink, and I haven't noticed a difference. However, I'm generally not buying pieces to make large MOCs. I have a theory that demand on Bricklink may be driving up prices. With people being stuck at home due to the pandemic, they may have more time to build with LEGO. More time to build projects that were previously on hold means that more customers are looking to buy LEGO pieces. General quality on Bricklink seems unchanged. I generally only buy from shops that explicitly state that they are smoke-free homes or businesses. One tip I think might be helpful for new buyers buying sets, is to look for stores that also say they replace damaged pieces. I've gotten used minifigures in "good" condition that are in essentially new condition, and other "good" condition minifigs that have gouges in the head, torsos, or legs.

Of the two sets, I have direct experience with the Black Seas Barracuda, because I helped a family member build one when I was a child. I knew about sailing ships generally, and had read books about Spanish galleons, European explorers, and pirates. So yes, I did draw on prior knowledge, but it was mostly general stuff. Naming the characters, deciding where they will travel, who their allies and rivals are, and all the details, were up to me and the friends/family I built LEGO sets with. This is different from a theme like Ninjago, where the minifigures already have extensive stories and specific details established through a television series.

I bought a new, sealed Creator 3 in 1 Corner Deli (Item No: 31050-1) on eBay last year. It's a set that was retired in 2016, and now goes for $90-$100 new on eBay. The original suggested retail price was $40 in the U.S., and it could probably have been found for $32-35 at a large store like Target or Walmart. I opened and built the Corner Deli, with no regrets. It's a beautiful set, was fun to build, and I enjoyed modifying it for use in a LEGO scene I was creating. LEGO sets are meant to be opened and built. In other threads, I've seen them compared to wines. What's the use of having a bottles of wine in storage if they aren't eventually going to be opened and savored? Unless you're planning to sell at a profit someday, I think the only reason to keep a set sealed is to save it for building on a special occasion. One example might be opening and building an old Winter Village set with family on Christmas Eve.

I wonder if TLG could implement some things to improve the buying experience on Bricklink. Bricklink set listings often don't have photos. This may be a limitation of the site's current architecture, but not being able to get a sense of a used set's condition is a major disadvantage at Bricklink vs. eBay. I don't know if this is possible, but setting some common standards/guidelines for the condition used pieces/sets might be helpful. I've gotten minifigures described as "good" that were basically in like-new condition, and some "good" minifigures that had faded print, gouges, and other obvious damage. Reducing uncertainty in quality of product would make me more confident in using Bricklink.

This is a fascinating topic. I once passed up the opportunity to buy a MISB set, because I already owned a copy of the model. I hope whoever ended up buying that MISB LEGO set was able to appreciate it! I've read some other threads on MISB sets that compare them to wines. Once opened and built, the experience is gone, much like uncorking an old bottle of wine and drinking it. There is something unique to opening old sets. The packaging materials used today are noticeably different than what LEGO Group used in the 80's and 90's: cardboard with the perforated punch-out section, round adhesive seals, internal trays, large set boxes with flaps and windows, and plastic bags with the grid of holes. Even the scent is different. The catalogs and promo materials are a view into an era before e-Commerce was common. I've also wondered about the risks of buying MISB. Could someone have opened the box decades ago, taken some rare pieces or minifigures, and then re-sealed the box? How can one be sure that the original contents are actually still within the packaging? With the exception of some large sets that have windows under the front flap, it can be difficult to know for sure. I am not a LEGO seller, so I personally would have no issue opening a MISB set in my possession. The timing might be important though. I think the experience might be one to share with family or friends who are LEGO enthusiasts. Sort of like sharing a good wine.

Not too expensive! Secondhand Crater Cruisers sell for approximately $35-40 + shipping on Bricklink. For some perspective, I looked at the Crater Cruiser's RRP/MSRP from 1995, which was $18 according to Brickset: https://brickset.com/sets/1787-1/Crater-Cruiser. I'd have to find one of my old LEGO catalogs to see what the Shop@Home service charged for home delivery, but I think it was something like $3-4. Back then, shipping could take awhile. I remember waiting several weeks to receive a promo set that I'd earned through rewards points. Accounting for inflation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, today's $35-40 asking prices translate to $20.70-$23.66 in 1995 dollars. That's just a bit more than what they would have cost new in 1995. The $8 shipping cost in 2020 for Priority Mail is equivalent to $4.73 in 1995. This is pricy relative to the cost of the set, but 2-day delivery is also extremely quick by 1995 standards. Was the Crater Cruiser worth it? Heck yes! After 25 years it's definitely worth it. I'd love to get a monorail someday. The biggest issue with the monorail is that I don't have any space in the house to set it up. My current collection is already taking up all the shelf and table space I can spare

There are a small number of sets that I would keep out of reach from unsupervised small children. These are mostly gifts from people who are important to me, and a few that I like as artwork. Otherwise, the rest of it can be disassembled, synthesized, combined, and re-built to infinity. I do think it is a good idea to set rules, mainly (1) Always build with hands that are clean from dirt or other contaminants (2) no biting or otherwise damaging pieces, and (3) don't trade of give away any of my collection without asking first. The first LEGO piece any child should be introduced to, is orange brick separator. I say this as someone who was guilty as a child of biting LEGO pieces out of frustration while trying to separate them! The brick separator was a huge advance in LEGO, as it is a massive reducer of stress on both the mind and fingers.

I believe that in general, outside of licensed themes, LEGO should stay away from themes with very pre-defined stories. Much of LEGO's appeal is being able to build one's own creations and create one's own stories. That's what I did with my friends when I was a child. We had our own space, and castle, and pirate domains. The adventures that unfolded were largely our own. For a "Big Bang" theme to work, I think 2 things need to happen: (1) The story has to have wide, mass market appeal, and (2) The set designs must be great. An uninteresting or otherwise lackluster storyline won't sell sets, because the boring-ness of the preexisting story may limit the imagination of the target market base. In more concrete terms, a child who is bored by the theme content (video episodes, comic books, etc.) might not feel compelled to buy (or ask a parent to purchase) the sets, regardless of the excellence of the set design or the usefulness of the pieces. Great set design is necessary to get people to feel that the magic of the content has been transferred into their hands while they build and play with the various models. It's difficult to simultaneously get both the story and the set design right for the target audience. I think that LEGO should focus on what they do best: getting set design right, and leave the creation of the story to the customer. The Creator Expert and Creator 3-in-1 sets are examples of sets with mostly excellent design and piece content, which allow the builder the freedom to imagine almost anything in terms of what happens to the creations and characters. There are already plenty of licensed themes for the kids who want experience a preexisting story through LEGO. I don't see why LEGO must compete with Star Wars or Harry Potter in terms of selling story content.

I bought a used Crater Cruiser on Bricklink after reading this chapter. The versatility of the Crater Cruiser is unusual, because it appears that the rear section of the wheeled vehicle has a vectored drive unit that allows for takeoff from the surface of a planet. Most LEGO space rovers need to be transported by other ships to a different world, but the Crater Cruiser is capable of interplanetary travel without external help. The detachable fighter/scout ship is also useful for turning the tables on opponents... who could find themselves battling two ships instead of one! Overall, the Crater Cruiser is a hidden gem. Having a "Ralph Gunbar" minifigure sitting in the Crater Cruiser on a shelf in my home office is also kind of funny, given his dubious levels of productivity on the job at Unitron

That makes sense to me. I suppose it is possible that the 4345 molds were projected to wear out, so LEGO started making 4345a pieces for some sets. This seems like such a trivial difference, but it would be fun to find out the true reason the component revision.

I recently purchased a Stellar Recon Voyager on Bricklink. The set is listed as having two of these components: Container, Box 2 x 2 x 2 Item No: 4345. However, the copy I received has only one 4345 box, and the other box is one of these: Container, Box 2 x 2 x 2 - Solid Studs Item No: 4345a. The only difference is that the 4345 has hollow studs on top, while the 4345a has solid studs. For functionality within the set, the components are exactly the same. As installed, the difference isn't visible, because a 2x2 magnet assembly is connected to the top of each box, concealing the studs beneath. Many people might not have observed the discrepancy, but I notice these details, although in this case I don't care enough to chase down an extra 4345 to replace the 4345a. Curiously, the Stellar Recon Voyager's smaller relation, the Particle Ionizer, released the same year (1990), uses the 4345a rather than the 4345. Does anyone have any insight into why LEGO Group might have used different revisions of the same part in the same year?

Initially, I wasn't a fan of the Crater Cruiser either. It is a bit odd, I think because of the 3 sets of differently sized wheels, but the design has grown on me over the years. Most LEGO Space rovers are vehicles that only roam the surface of the worlds their crews are exploring. They might transport rockets (like the Ice Planet Ice Sat V) or act as a base for other ships (Space Police II Solar Snooper), but they generally don't seem to have the ability to move from planet to planet by themselves. The Crater Cruiser is a bit different. While the wheeled vehicle does act as a base for the detachable scout ship, it also seems to have a thrust vectoring drive unit that contains both a retro-rocket for takeoff, and a propulsion system for long distance space travel. The only other ground vehicle that I think might have similar capability is the Blacktron II Spectral Starguider.

It takes time and financial resources to run a webpage. This is a big problem for platforms run by individuals, who may have life changes that reduce their available time (like arrival of children), or run into financial difficulties and cannot pay for hosting services. I wonder if it may make sense for LEGO enthusiasts to use a platform like FaceBook as a permanent repository for MOC images. I know that there are privacy concerns and ethical problems with using platforms like FaceBook to host albums of images, but the company should be around for a long time, and its content can be accessed by anyone for "free" (with the true cost being one's personal information).