danth

I just noticed I said the context was non-minifigs but I meant the context was minifigs-only or non-minidolls. Oops. So I'm just making the confusion worse. I don't know what "Classic Themes" means but it must mean minifig themes because minidolls have only existed since 2012. I know I specified minifig themes somewhere up above, but I think in the context of this thread generally, it makes sense to assume we're talking about minifig themes. If OP was talking about minidolls he would have asked "Is Elves dead" because that's the only minidoll theme that's dead. So that's why I wasn't bothering to include Friends. As for focusing on themes that have launched recently, well, I'm doing that for a reason. If you're worried about a species going extinct, you look at new births. If there are 1000 members of a species alive, but none of them were born in the past 10 years, well guess what -- that species is doomed. You need new births to keep the species alive. Agreed. There were always wagons, small forts, inns, small blacksmith shops, jousting tournaments, etc in Castle. Sea Serpent is my favorite example. I'd say it was one of the finest Castle sets ever, and it retailed for less than $20. Even Pirates had a nice ship for less than $35. Below that there were rafts and dinghies. And various islands/bases.

Well, I'm excited to see what Dreamzzz are made of. It will be our only non-City, non-martial arts based unlicensed theme in 2023. I hope it's good.

We were already including Ninjago as an existing theme and the context was non-minifig so... The discussion is are themes dead, not were they dead, so I don't know why people keeping bringing up themes from the past as evidence of themes not being dead. Isn't Elves pretty long gone?

Now do themes that launched within the last 5 years. That eliminates all but Monkie Kid and Hidden Side. The only one that you didn't mention was Vidiyo. So 3 non-licensed themes launched in the last 5 years. Themes existing 10 years ago doesn't mean anything if they're not being replaced.

New Space sets with different color schemes than the past is like my wildest dream. But all previous Space themes had space men, and all had colored windscreens until Alien Conquest. The Space Mining Mech didn't have a minifig nor did it have a colored windscreen. The Cyber Drone I liked, and bought in multiples. But it has a boring trans-clear windscreen. And it doesn't have a space man, for some reason it has a robot. At least it's a cool minifig. But anyway if we're talking about Creator specifically, I don't think it makes a lot of sense to make, say, a Creator Castle set, but NOT use classic, well-known Castle factions. That's why they used Black Falcons. You need something already established. I think Space would be the same. Creator Space sets should use established themes too. But I'm all for a new Space theme using all new colors. Go nuts!

I should clarify I don't think Castle or Space or Pirates are dead. They refuse to die. They're too well loved by AFOLs. I really think Lego needs to figure out what to do with them. If they keep making Icons sets with classic throwbacks, great. If they keep making Classic-themed Creator sets, great. We've yet to see a "real" Space Creator set though.

Almost all non-licensed minifig themes are dead. City will exist, if only because there is no "real life" mega blockbuster movie series to license. Unless Lego can get a Fast & Furious license or something. The only non-licensed minifig themes (where "theme" means a line of related sets with the same setting and characters/factions at various price points) that existed in 2022 besides City were Ninjago and Monkie Kid. So, 3 non-licensed minifig themes. (No, you can't count Creator because it's not a "theme" in the sense that the sets are related. Same with Icons or whatever they call it now.) That's the same as it was in 1978. Up until we got, what, Pirates, which put Lego at 4 themes concurrently? Not sure what the peak was, but in '96 there was also Aquazone, Time Cruisers, and Western for a total of 7 concurrent non-licensed minifig themes. What other non-licensed themes have we seen recently? Chima and Nexo, which were probably created just in case Ninjago sales stalled which they didn't, and Hidden Side and Vidiyo, where were vehicles to push AR/App integration. I think Lego is basically done with non-licensed themes, other than Ninjago (or its replacement), and Monkie Kid for China, and one AR/App pushing theme, which I predict Dreamzzz will be.

Same! "Ridiculous" is a compliment when I say it. 😁

Encouraging MOCing is great. I'm sure I've done it before. I can't imagine you doing what I'm talking about. What I'm talking about is, in the context of a conversation about an old theme being great, or themes you wish existed, or just someone saying "I with they would make sets like X", someone will pop into the thread -- someone who seemingly has no interest in the discussion otherwise -- and say "If you don't like Lego's current offering, just make MOCs". It's just a complete wet blanket, dismissal/rejection of the entire conversation, and a failure to read the room. And of course it's also a coded "never complain about Lego's current offering of sets." There's a certain toxic personality type that can never let someone hope, wish, or lament, on a forum that specifically exists for it, and just wants to dismiss, invalidate, and shut down others. I'm just kind of tired of it. EDIT: Well, maybe I'm being dramatic. It's definitely a pet peeve of mine. A micro-aggression where the annoyance builds and builds over the years. I agree. That's bad. We don't need an X-Wing every year. It's getting ridiculous. It's a 45 year old design, from a franchise that hasn't had a good movie in almost as long.

Thank you! Exactly what I meant. I could have worded it better but I expect a little charity from readers at least...

The 2013 version has a smaller gap when the wings are closed. 2023 version has a more accurate hexagonal fuselage shape.

This is why "constructive criticism" from internet randos is worthless. They don't consider the obvious problems with their own suggestions. I think what you've built is awesome. And I like the printed eyes a lot for some reason, even though the old minifigs didn't have pupils.

Here's a sentiment I truly hate. "If Lego doesn't make sets you like, just build MOCs". This is about as close as you can get to an "F you" to fans. MOCing is hard. Some people are bad at it. Most of us aren't going to be able to come up with something as good looking and stable as a full time professional designer with all of TLGs resources at their disposal. And, any artist sees all the flaws in their own work, and every way it fell short of their vision. But you can't do that with someone else's design - you can only appreciate it for what it is. Kinda like food -- it tastes better if I didn't have to make it. Buying parts from Bricklink is expensive and time consuming. With a set, you get all the parts you need in numbered bags, in one package, at a price far lower than what those bricks would cost shipped from X different sellers on Bricklink. Plus the parts will be new. And you can share in the experience with all your fellow fans who build the same set, come up with alternate builds, etc. Plus official sets give you new prints and new colors -- MOCs don't. Also - if anyone really believes in "just make MOCs", then they're all for Lego not making sets any more and just releasing brick packs, right? RIGHT? Except no, they don't believe that. "Just makes MOCs" is a way for people who are perennially happy with the status quo to dismiss more passionate fans.

The best thing about a Majisto Workshop is the huge room for improvement! I hope they aren't too beholden to the original design. 90s Castle fans, don't kill me. It's widely held that the 90's Castle designs weren't the best. Not my fault!

I can't say I like this idea that I should be forced to buy multiple factions in a set, including a faction with designs I don't like, just in case I might come to appreciate it someday. 15 years later, I still think those alien designs are ugly, so I'm going to say my first instinct was right. Ooh, that's another minor flaw in Mars Mission: the visors. Bronze? Ugh. Should have been trans blue. That color would have "popped" against the white and orange, and matched the guns.

This is now what a space train should officially look like in my head-canon.

One thing I don't like about "conflict in a box" is it makes sets more expensive and forces you to buy things you don't like or nothing at all. For example: I really like that drill mech! But I don't like ANY of the alien ships from Mars Mission. So do I buy both, or neither? In this case I chose neither. So, sale lost for Lego. Also it means no $10 mech set or $20 alien fighter set for Mars Mission. Instead you get a $30 set that many kids can't afford.

Mars Mission had some amazing sets: I agree that the stickers were a turn off and the little aliens were lame.

I did say at least two kinds of adult. :) And I wasn't describing Lego fans, I was describing adults who aren't really into Lego per se (like people who buy Marvel and SW sets but nothing else). I consider AFOLs (as you described them) to be a third kind of adult.

Well there's at least two kinds of adult. Nerds, and normies. Nerds are already buying Marvel, Star Wars, and Harry Potter (etc) Lego sets. Non-nerds generally don't buy Lego sets. The black box sets are going after them. "See, Lego is for cool people too! You can build guitars, hipster type writers, and Andy Warhols!"

Alright. So how do we actual get Lego to give us more prints and less stickers? This might be a multi-parter. First, let's look at the big argument that people always trot out to explain why Lego just can't do prints. The argument goes like this: every unique part needs to be stored/tracked in its own box. So, if a set had 10 printed parts, and another set had the same exact 10 parts without the print, then you'd need 20 boxes to track the printed and unprinted versions of the parts. However, if the printed parts were instead stickered parts, you would only need 11 boxes: 10 for the parts, and 1 for a sticker sheet. And Lego, the biggest toy company in the world, can't afford or manage to track and store those extra boxes, even though Cobi and Megablocks both somehow do it. But that's not all. There's a general attitude of smugness and contempt that generally comes with this argument. How dare *you* -- the loyal fan who loves building with Lego and spends your hard earned money on Lego -- ask Lego to make a product more to your liking, without bothering to understand the inner workings of their manufacturing logistics? You aren't a true fan. A true fan reads all the interviews with Lego employees and reads books about Lego and studies their history and their manufacturing processes. They're basically Lego insiders, and hang out with Lego designers, and go to after parties with good old Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen himself. At least, that seems to be how they see themselves. And this is all by design. Lego PR doesn't want you to think about how much money they make -- billions in pure profit each year -- while also telling you "no, you can't have more prints". They want to distract you with logistical problems. Because logistical problems can be made to sound complicated and distract from corporate avarice. And also by design, these PR-crafted logistical arguments give a certain kind of Lego fan an excuse to act like they know better than you. To act like superior fans who know the inside info. What, you didn't read the latest interview? You don't understand these engineering problems? What, you just buy their stupid toys and build them? And these kinds of fans can't resist this. So they peddle the PR excuses because they want to be seen as Lego gurus while trying to make you feel like there is something wrong with you. The framing of this argument is, of course, total BS. I'm a fan of Lego with money. I will buy their products, or not, and I will damn-well demand what I want. I want prints. I don't need to justify what I want. I just say what I want, and buy what I want. It's not my job to understand and figure out Lego's logistical issues. It's their job. Anyway. Next up: Tackling this argument and offering solutions. Even though I shouldn't have to.

Very nice! Man, SW designs really look much better in Space colors.

I think it's also the reason girls get more Lego as gifts now: Friends boxes are pink. At least that was the excuse I needed to buy Lego for my niece.

Ha, this is great!

Yay! Good job winners! All great MOCs. And thanks to @Bob De Quatre for putting on the contest. Wait those were both you? Dang, you were busy. Also your two MOCs were in such different styles! I'm impressed.