Tyrant

I think the idea is for sets similar to the MMV. A set which is not conflict oriented (I suppose there could be some price disputes in the stall, blacksmith, or inn) and is a limited release. If they have to include conflict, there is nothing stopping them including ballistas and trebuchets to add some variety beyond catapaults.

Trebuchets and ballistas would be nice. They would be a welcome change from everyone and their brother using catapaults. And if my history on the subject is accurate, then the use of a trebuchet would make them somewhat more advanced that the catapault folks.

Yeah I guess it would make sense to have some sets for the attackers as well. Your idea of assorted siege equipment (presumably detailed and not loaded with flick fire features) and soldiers is probably a good way to go about it. Do you think it would be a good idea to use two existing castle factions (presumably older ones, but with updated torso prints with greater detail like the current ones) or to create two new ones?

Last night I watched Tales of the Black Freighter and Under the Hood. For anyone who doesn't know, these are both add ons to the movie Watchmen. They are parts of the graphic novel that they made but didn't actually include in the film. They are sold together as one DVD. As seperate movies apart from Watchmen, there's not much reason to watch them. As add ons (that I hear may be added into the movie on the super ultra edition DVD) they are nice. Tales of the Black Freighter was a nice adaptation of the story within the story from the Graphic Novel. It works as a parallel to the story of one of the characters in the movie (which was it's point in the GN). It was animated and looked decent. Under the Hood was live action. It featured the actors from the movie in their respective roles. It is set like a TV interview with Hollis Mason (Nite Owl I) discussing his book (Under the Hood). It features several characters that are more or less background characters in the movie, such as Silk Spectre's manager, Wolly Weaver, and Newsstand Guy (unfortunately no sign of the kid reading Tales of the Black Freighter). It also features a small bit (less than a minute) with the Comedian and quite a bit with Silk Spectre I. It also features 80's commercials at random points as the interview cuts to commercial breaks and at least one is a product from the GN made by Veidt Industries. Overall I think Under the Hood was the better add on and could seemlessly be a special feature on a DVD version of Watchmen or bits of it could work as background material put into the movie. It seemed to be the more original of the two. Tales of the Black Freighter could probably be worked into the movie if they expand the role of the newsguy and the kid and use it in bits and pieces throughout the movie. I am glad that they made these and I am interested to see how they work these into the movie in the ultimate DVD.

No I meant the one holding the spiked Uruk sword. It is apparently a custom made from a Catwoman mask according to their forums. The one you mentioned is a decent helmet to use though.

I just watched a couple of older movies I bought through Amazon. I have a soft spot for horror movies and 80s movies (particularly 80s horror movies) so I am always on the look out for ones I have not seen that sound interesting (or so bad they're good). So, here's what I got earlier this week: Inferno This is a film by Italian director Dario Argento. It is basically a sequel to Suspiria. As a horror movie, especially one made in 1980, it's not bad. Suspiria was the better movie in my opinion. Both movies (and the recently released 3rd part The Mother of Tears) all suffer from not really defining the abilities and motivations of the witches that are the villains of these movies. They seem to enjoy killing everyone they come across, but we never really know why. We never really find out how people end up allying with the three sisters. Not that any of that really greatly matter for these movies, but it does stop them from being considered movies by traditional standards. This movie and Suspiria feature innovative camera angles and very unique scenery along with what I would describe as a technotronic horror soundtrack. It's worth watching if you like 70s style horror movies. Unfortunately the third movie looses most of the charm that older horror movies have and looks more like a modern horror movie (and stars the directors daughter, Asia Argento). The other movie I got that I had not watched before was Ladyhawke This movie stars Rutger Hauer, Matthew Broderick, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Hauer and Pfeiffer are lovers cursed to change into animals by a jealous bishop who tapped the powers of Hell to make the curse happen. He turns into a wolf at night and she turns into a hawk during the day. As animals they basically have no memory of their human lives. Broderick is a thief who escapes the bishop's executioners and gets picked up by Hauer to help him get revenge on the bishop. The plot is interesting and is definately one that works best as a mid 80s fantasy movie. If the movie had a better soundtrack (even if it were still a technotronic soundtrack, it could have been better), a higher prop budget so everyone wasn't armed with obviously stainless steel weapons, and possibly better transformation scenes (or any at all for that matter) it would have been a decent fantasy movie for it's time. It wouldn't have been great, but it wouldn't be nearly forgotten. I don't regret getting either movie, but I won't rewatch them with tremendous frequency.

I've liked the idea for a while. It also helps really cement Dooku as evil. So far the most evil thing associated with him seems to be that he is played by Christopher Lee. It's kind of tied into the problem of the CIS being shown as idioits and constantly defeated with ease. Yeah I really didn't even think it through that much. I just thought up the first character I could that was expendable as far as the EU, but looking at what you said I guess that would be someone else created just for the show in all likelyhood. Plus if it is Cad Bane, it would help further illustrate that Anakin holds a grudge. I like his movies and the universe he created, but with Lucas and the movies anything is possible (for good or bad). I was trying to head off any debate that that is in fact the only way because I see people say that time and again. The rest was to elaborate on why Anakin (and we the audience) should find the idea of him not eventually becoming a master laughable. If he weren't eventually kicked out of the order for some reason then him not becoming a master would be ridiculous. Obviously that's assuming an outcome where the kill all the jedi plan never happened and he didn't turn to the dark side. As for him knowing he is the chosen one, I recall that more than a few other Jedi seem to know this. Coupled with his outburst after he comes back from killing the Tuskans, I think it's pretty reasonable to assume that he knew. Everyone else seems to know.

These new pieces look great. I have ordered from Brickforge a couple of times, Castle-esque weapons, and I have always been satisfied. I really like the LotR Uruk style shields and swords along with the Saruman like staff. I will definately be buying some of these in the near future. Now if only they had something like the Goblin helmet for sale.

I didn't see anyone mention this but for those in the US interested this appears to be available on S@H in the US now. It's $19.99 so the guy who got it for $12.99 probably got a deal on it. There isn't a good shot as far as inventory.

If they align with the EU at all, then Ventress won't die. She survives and eventually just leaves the scene. Which also makes it unlikely that she kills Ahoska as I believe Obi Wan let her go (I didn't read the story myself). As for Ahsoka, if anyone kills her my guess would be Dooku. It helps make the scene where Anakin's resistance to the idea of killing a literally unarmed prisoner folds with just a little push from Palpatine. Or, someone like Cad Bane kills here and then Anakin kills him. Or, she survives and goes into hiding only to be used in a line of books later on. Or, we will see her in the upcoming super, ultra, special, 3-D versions of the films they are working on (possibly dying in Order 66). As for the comment about Anakin wanting to be a Master with a dead/dark side padawan on his record, so what? Training a padawan isn't the only way to become a master (check wookieepedia, it's in the first two paragraphs of the article). He is in theory the potentially strongest jedi, and someone at some point let him know that (huge mistake and why I think the Jedi are as much to blame as anyone for him going to the darkside) so for him to not be a master eventually is ridiculous and he knows it. To be on the council and not be a master is almost unheard of, and he knows it. Why wouldn't he be just a little upset that he isn't made a master when he sits on the council and is more powerful than most of the members on that council?

Nice review. Very detailed and you highlighted everything probably worth highlighting. Overall I don't care much for the set. I suppose if it were cheap enough I would consider getting it for the parts, but mainly for the green armored knight. That is a nice figure and I may now have to try to get a few of them. The previously posted idea of using them for elves sounds good especially with that unicorn symbol on the shield.

As far as sets that I actually bought last year, I would say the Dwarf Mine was the best with the Tower Raid being a close second. Of course I mainly buy Castle, some Star Wars, and occasionally Creator sets for parts so my experience with the 2008 sets isn't very broad. I would probably say the MMV, but I didn't get it until late last week and I haven't had the chance to put it together yet. Edit to add:I would be hard pressed to pick a worst set. I usually don't buy sets I don't think I will like and I haven't really been let down by any sets. I suppose I was disappointed in the piece to price ratio of the Troll Warship but the set itself was nice. I bought the Twilight when it was half price and I haven't put it together yet, so there may still be disappointment.

I too wish they still made the Idea Books. I have two of them. My preference has been Castle for a while and the old Idea Books have some impressive layouts (even if they were nearly impossible to replicate without sinking a ton of money into Bricklink). I would think that for Castle at least something like the Idea Books could work reasonably well today. The parts are fairly uniform throughout the current line sticking with a handful of colors for virtually all the parts so gathering the right parts in the right colors shouldn't be too hard. Maybe make two books and the second one being more advanced ideas along the lines of some of the MOC techniques that people employ.

I took this as him accepting that it was going to end in either capture or death and he didn't want to give the humans the satisfction of either. Or he realised all hope of resurrection was gone for good so there was no point to keep going. I kind of agree. The only thing I can figure was that it was to help move the plot towards the idea of one god and the angels and what not. And to help make Baltar's decision seem more selfless knowing that he was possibly turning down a position of real power amongst the survivors in favor of what was thought to be a suicide mission. Here's hoping.

I assume you are right and they probably would revamp their bodies anyway. I should have been clearer in that I meant this would give them the reason to go ahead and do it as they would need to be using their style of armor again if they were suddenly all over the place in the CW cartoon. I asume even if they don't that there will eventually be some more Episode III sets made, but this way ensures that it will likely happen faster and that more types of clones will be updagted instead of whichever one ends up being in whatever Episode III set that gets made sometime.

I hope so because I personally prefer the phase II armor. I hope that would also mean that TLG would make the phase II armor more like the current phase I armor with all the potential add ons. The CW clone figures are better figures (odd faces aside) which is about the only reason I have bought very many.

Not to again side track, but article clearly states in the very first 2 paragraphs that there are other ways that don't involve training a padawan and gives examples of known Jedi masters who didn't train padawans. So, again, why do people keep assuming that is the only way when it clearly isn't?

Where do people get the idea that you had to train a padawan to be a master? As for the council and Anakin's outburst, it was nonsensical since Ki Adi Mundi was a knight when he joined the council (though he was shortly afterward made a master). A fun variation I have seen some people believe is that only a master may train a padawan. This also doesn't work.

I've come around to that way of thinking in the last year or so as I have started buying LEGO in large quantities again. Looking back on the 80's castles, I wish the newer ones were more like them in that respect. I don't completely hate the molded baseplates either because with some work they probably could be worked into the mix. But as I was really studying the layout of the KCS before I bought a few of them I noticed it looked more like the older castles and was set up similar to them. I think it's a step in the right direction. Also in my begining attempts to get together the right kinds of pieces to eventually build a large castle I have noticed that seems to be the better way to try to build a large castle. I've got builders block (I think there may be a terrible pun in there somewhere) so I have mainly just been trying out smaller things with the mass or parts I have and the older methods seem to look better and have greater room for customization. I have two KCS sets built together at the moment. I haven't completed part of it due to space constraints, but it mainly just looks like a longer KCS. I haven't figured out the best way to make it wider. Even if I do, it won't really add to the castle the way plugging in an inn or blacksmih shop would or the way being able to alter the geometrical layout (something other than a rectangle) would change things. I agree that a modular approach would allow people on a budget to customize a castle as well as allow those with a bigger budget to build up a massive castle and I think that's a win-win situation. I am suprised TLG hasn't done more along those lines as I would think that would a nice selling point.

Yeah, I am thinking most would be $30 or under. A largish keep or gatehouse might exceed that, but the wall sections and blacksmith shop type add ons wouldn't need to be gigantic. I am thinking in line with the ideas in these older sets:Blacksmith Shop Armor Shop Siege Tower Guarded Inn They would be a little bit bigger than these because the overall scale of the castle would be bigger. More importantly, they would be more detailed. Each of them should be able to have the relevant figures and parts for $30 or less. Using a current example, take the tower out of the Tower Raid set and fill it's gaps (and probably make it larger since there won't be a siege engine) and it would make a decent castle tower. It wouldn't take a whole lot of work to make it a really good tower (in this overall scale) and keep it around $30 because at least half the parts of that set are in the siege tower and it is $30 (not to mention it has 5 figures and just a tower would likely have 3 tops).

That would be a nice set. What would you think of combining that general idea with the idea of selling the assorted parts of the castle as stand alone sets that can be connected like the old Guardian Inn? Essentially making a small line of smaller sets that can be connected (or not connected as the case may be with buildings like a farm house or the Inn you suggest) to make a larger overall layout that you can add to at will.

You mean basically just wall sections that would look good with several of them in a row to keep expanding the castle as much as you want? That would be nice. If they were to consider that, perhaps just make a line of modular sections? Walls, a keep, towers, etc. That way you can design the whole castle layout from the options available. Or if it were a realistic possibility, do that with and a modular castle so you could also expand their castle. I would go for either of those ideas.

Sorry, my sarcasm didn't come through too well. Yes, it was very much a crap movie.

Well, I liked a lot more than I disliked about the other 2 shows, so I am sure I will watch this one. Hopefully it's not outright insulting to watch. Oh, come on. Everyone knows Ming Na from Street Fighter where she played Chun Li (really, if anyone saw that movie how could they ever forget it, no matter how hard they try) and being the voice of Mulan and more recently a supporting role in Push. I never saw the second movie, but I assume the first one is Formula 51? He was also in 28 Weeks Later and a Bond villain in The World is Not Enough. I actually didn't recognise him at all in that movie and it wasn't until very recently I realised it was him. He seems a solid enough actor for this. Where did this choice come from? The last thing I saw him in that I thought was at least decent was The Big Hit and even that wasn't a spectacular movie (and it was at least a decade ago I believe). Here's hoping on him. Maybe he'll be one of the real early casualties? Overall impression, here's hoping.

Yeah I knew the Empire did it a lot. I have at least one book where the Republic does flatten some command bunker from orbit (I think it's the Cestus Deception) and Mace Windu threatens to do it in Shatterpoint if I recall correctly. As for the Death Star, the supposed EU reason is 2 fold. The first reason is that planetary shields can't stop it. Nothing can stop it once it fires (and of course most people would see it and believe there is no way to stop it from firing). The other reason is as a terror weapon. A Star Destroyer can level the surface and turn it to beaded glass, but it takes time and the planet is still there. The Death Star instantly obliterates the entire planet. As wasteful as that is, the psychological effect was the main drive behind using it. Kind of like nukes. Once people know what kind of devastation they face messing with the guy with the bigger stick (in this case, total), they tend to fall in line. Of course sometimes a buch of teenagers fly in and screw up the whole plan and make believe they can take down the guy with the bigger stick. No plan's perfect. That would make for a nice episode. I don't even hate Ahsoka, as a character. My dislike of her is because I have no idea how they are going to explian her never being mentioned and it seems to (at the moment at least, I am willing to see how it pans out) screw with continuity.