Faefrost

Adventurers would probably be the best category to do an Africa theme. One of the Archaeology Indiana jones type things. Put Johnny Thunder or Jake Raines on the trail of Nefertiti's treasure or something., with the guardians being ancient animal spirits etc. yeah it is suspiciously similar to PQ, but it would cover the territory. The only major drawbacks is Chima is already sitting or lurking on much of the iconography and set designs they would need for something like that. Giant croc and lion heads, etc. There is no way that they could treat Africa as a Historical type theme without getting into some dark territory.

One of the big Dino's was missing? Wow. I'm guessing that that probably wasn't a factory error, but more likely someone bought and returned the set using one of the scam artists reselling tricks. CS might not simply replace that because they don't have a mechanism to consider that a "missing or replacement part" it is rather pretty much the whole of the set. Granted it still doesn't sound like the best approach to customer service. Best option would be to return it to Walmart and see if they can cross ship a replacement set from another store. I've had some very helpful Walmart CS people for that sort of thing.

Given that there isn't much truly "new" that they can do in the way of OT sets, what do we figure are due for some new version luv in from Lego? I figure we are overdue for a Tie Interceptor to match the newer Ties design. A nice Sandcrawler has got to be creeping up on their design radar. Maybe a decent retail release B Wing.

So normal pink Palpatine head with a black hood and robe? Actually you are right, and it does sound surprisingly easy and basic for them to do. Although what sort of scene would you put him in. Virtually every time we see him is as a blue fuzzy hologram?

While not perfect (and a little backwards) I swapped the Shoto blade for the 3L green laser beam bar that came in the CMF series 6 Alien. The colors are backwards (the shorter blade being the deeper green), but the effect is a lot better than the twin identical blades.

Congrats to the designers. That is a gorgeous project.

While we are discussing some of the reasons that projects can fail review, such as requiring new molds, let's talk a little bit about one of the other more mysterious ones. That oh so open ended "It does not meet the business case". As in... "The supporters we received for the EVE Online Ships – Rifter project allowed us to examine the feasibility of another niche gaming-related product. However the Rifter presented a more challenging business case when considered alongside other potential products in this Review period. Therefore, the LEGO Review Board has decided that this project does not meet the requirements for the business case." So what does that mean? What is the issue with projects such as the Grifter (or the soon to be shot down Purdue Pete)? The business case assessment that they are talking about for any licensed project is what can be best described as "Conversion". What percentage of the existing fan base to we need to convert to actual paying customers in order for this to be a viable product? It doesn't really matter that 10,000 people swore that they would buy this if it was produced. It is far more important to look at how much of the established fan base is reflected in those 10k voters. And in this case a lower number is better. If you need to convert 10% of the current fans to purchasers of your product, you are going to have to work a lot harder for a lot less return than if you only need to convert 2%. (Believe it or not, contrary to popular belief the Marketing department is not entirely populated by clueless C student frat boys who spent their college years in a Bud Lite Coma. A small few of them do need to know some math.) So the calculations will look at the total established fan base of a proposed license. For Harry Potter that is somewhere around 200 million. For Eve online it is around 200 thousand. They look at statistical trends. What is the typical ratio of fan to purchaser that they would see? (honestly it's probably somewhere around 2% if they are lucky). So the question becomes if 2% of the properties fans bought a set, would that be sufficient sales for the project? Looking at the Eve Online Grifter, 2% of 200,000 is 4,000. Less than half of what the minimu production run for a CuuSoo set is suspected to be. It doesn't actually matter if the fan base is enthusiastic and well organized and seemingly into the project. If the % of the fanbase that is showing interest is above or outside normal sales conversion rations, they will not take a gamble on it. The project must be viable using their most basic and conservative sales estimates. Not simply on the basis of who shouts "Me Too"! And this is why Purdue Pete will also most likely fail. This is also why many of even the more popular video game based properties are still marginal for things like Lego sets or projects. The best, highest selling, highest grossing video games are just barely hitting the minimal numbers needed to make this calculation viable.

You're missing a key component of the debate. It isn't just that a project proposal includes new minifigure parts. It is also an evaluation of whether or not the set can stand without a specific new part, or if there is a workaround. The Zelda set failed because The look and design of Link is very very specific. If they were to make the set the core figure, Link would have to be matched to Nintendo's design models and guidelines. Much like Jack Sparrow's hair, Links look is integral to the whole project and must be maintained. It wasn't that the project asked for a new mold, it was that there was no way to meet the visual need of the project without one. Contrast that with The BTTF proposals. The DeLorean that passed review does have a few new custom minifig elements in its proposal. Mainly for Doc Brown's hair. Now being that Doc Brown is based on an actual actor, and is not a tightly controlled graphic design, the style guide for him offers a bit more flexibility. TLG most likely felt they can achieve an acceptable version of his look using printing or existing or forthcoming parts (probably the CMF series 10 Grandpa hair). While getting Doc's look as good as possible is a desireable, it isn't a mission critical element of the project. It isn't the core focus, so a viable alternative may be worked out. The far end of this is the Space Troopers / Space Marines project. As others have pointed out, there are some new minifig parts requested in that project. But they are all in figs or characters that are completely secondary to the core project elements. The requested custom parts are all for the alien foes. While nice to have, Lego can easily swap the proposed aliens for ones assembled from their stock of assorted creature parts and have absolutely zero impact on the center core of the project, which is the squadron of Space Troopers. Whether or not the released set has a blue two headed alien is not a show stopper. So it's not just the presence of the new part request, it's the context of it. And the simple question of "how critical is the new part to the project?"

It's not quite that simple. Not all new molds are the same, and not all designed new molds impact a project in the same way. When looking at a new mold in a CuuSoo project a few questions need to be asked. - is this something that would be pretty much unique to this project or license. Ie something specific to a licensed character? Links Hair would be a good example. - is the part something that would be unique to the set or project? - Is the part a true core element of the set? Is it something that defines a central character to the set, or would radically change the core project in it's absence? - is it a structural or building part that would be useful elsewhere? If the part is required, is key to the license and cannot be used elsewhere, the project is dead. Stick a fork I it. The part will not be made for CuuSoo If the part is not required for the set. Just a nice to have, evaluation will continue without it. Part will not be made. If the part is something that would be really really useful elsewhere, evaluation will take much much longer, and has a good chance of failing. But it has a chance of getting made. Albeit a very very rare chance. The key thing is no new molds will be made specifically or exclusively for a CuuSoo project. But there is a rare chance that a new part suggested through CuuSoo may be approved for general production.

Polar Lights went through this a few years back with their BttF model kit. If I recall correctly they only need a DeLorean license to include the word DeLorean on the box or to use any DMC markings or logos. Otherwise the BttF time machine is modified enough from an actual licensed DeLorean so as to be its own unique derivative. A DeLorean was used as a starting point in the construction of the car. The end result is now its own recognize able thing. This is similar to the licensing for the Barris Batmobile. Even though there is a Lincoln Futura under there, it has been changed enough that the license is all Barris. Same thing with the GhostBusters car and Cadilac.

Mind flesh triangles? Heck I know this will be see as blasphemy in some quarters, but it has almost gotten substantially easier to populate a Pirate MOC or theme with a diverse crew of Fleshies, than it is to put together a full compliment of Lemonheads. Between the huge assortment of PotC minifig parts, plus things like PoP, and the Hobbits and Dwarves from the LotR stuff, and a few specific figs from Indiana Jones and Harry Potter, you have a vast army of differing parts to flesh out a vast grungy pink Pirate Crew and a Good company of Red Coats. Complete with distinctive facial hair.

I think the window of opportunity for seeing a Damian Wayne based set has just slammed shut.

This was one of last years sets http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=4637-1 Sadly I am not sure if there is much more there to build a theme around?

That's because everyone is playing Internet rules lawyers and carefully parsing every word they have posted in order to make their argument that Lego can and must make what they want. Lego's actual intent and meaning has been pretty clear from the start, if you understand what you are reading. - new unique elements. Things tied to the specific project, such as weapons or new licensed character elements are pretty much dead on arrival. They will not make new parts exclusively for CuuSoo sets. A new general use part , such as a construction element, may be suggested as part of a CuuSoo project, but it greatly magnifies the chances of failure at review.

I had originally posted this in the Zelda CuuSoo thread, in. Massive wall of text post. But it's probably worth repeating here as a few lines. This was just a thumbnail back of a napkin type calculation, that probably is not to far off from the actual business case calculations that they do. And reflects the problem with new molds. If {cost of new tooling or special production step} / {anticipated 6 to 12 month production run of the set or part} is > or = to 10% of the calculated cost of the set, then it will fail the business case and will not be made. Isn't business math fun?

I think your math might be a little off, but as I have said a number of times, that's the basic problem. At an extremely conservative estimate of $100,000 for a new mold (it's probably closer to $200,000 for a cheap one.) it would be an extra $10 per set, just for that piece. (More likely $20). For a set of maybe 200-300 pieces. Plus licensing fees. When TLG's business review team looks at a project, the key calculation will be cost vs value and how much people will be willing to pay. When the sets price per piece starts creeping towards 18 or 2o cents the set will simply fail the business case. The risks and costs will exceed the potential returns. This will be almost universal in any CuuSoo project that requires a new set specific mold. There is a reason why we see more new molds in big licensed themes that are tied to current media or movies. They see enough of a sales boost (at reduced back end marketing costs) in order to more broadly amortize the costs of the new parts over a wider pool of sets made and sold. As a counterpoint, look carefully at the "exclusive" sets. The D2C sets. Notice that even the huge expensive ones will very rarely, if ever, use unique molds or new parts. The costs for new parts can typically only be amortized via the sales numbers produced by the retail shelf sets.

That's something worth hoping for. Especially if they could find the space to give me my Captain Teague minifig. (Awe c'mon you all know you want your very own Keith Richards fig. It's like your own personal zombie, in minifig form.)

There are certainly some Africa based sets. Mainly targeted younger than most of the general system line. There was a Safari based set out last year. There are a number of Duplo sets along similar lines. The biggest problem is not so much color of the figs, as it is what sort of story would you be telling for a theme? Safari stuff, aside from the one offs, involves a ton of large mode animals, and gets into grey areas of hunting and poaching.(when you can explore the same play with Dino's without the guilt or controversy and no one throws red paint at you.) similarly you can't really do the age of exploration or imperial Europe. That gets messy. How about Pirates? Modern Pirates! Oh right... Yech! What can they possibly do as a theme? A Zulu type Army builder facing off against the Imperial Redcoats? Or the ever classic action theme, "team of white guys adventuring to steal treasure, precious artifacts or diamonds from nasty African tribes"? None of Hesse seem like particularly good approaches?

I thought they had just announced they were going FTP? But were only now getting the code and patches etc in place to actually do it? I could be wrong. Haven't looked at that game in awhile.

4-Lom and Zuckuss top my list A pink skinned update of Zam Wessel An updated Lando in Bespin outfit, or his RotJ general outfit Wat Tambor From Clone Wars Satine King Katuunko Mother Talzin Senator Chuchee (sp?) Ziro the Hutt (c'mon we gotta use the Jabba mold again and he's colorful)

BLASPHEMY! It's probably worth mentioning that Pirates of the Burning Sea is going free to play any day now. Back onto the subject of Lego related Pirates... The new CMF Revolutionary Soldier is WONDERFUL :wub: :wub: :wub:

Am I he only one sensing a Terry Pratchett Diskworld fan lurking somewhere in the Lego CMF design group? That black and white Sad Clwn just screams Dr. Whiteface, guildmaster of the Fools Guild. And now that golden chase figure has a suspicious air of Moist Von Lipwig about him. Not that I'm complaining. I see the delicious workings of a Diskworld MOC in all of this. I think my favorite by far is he Revolutionary Soldier. Just so much utility.

And to add a bit of Devil's advocate to the mix. The public commentary, both positive and negative, is critical to the process. Some say the fans should not self appoint themselves as gatekeepers. I'm sorry but these are crowd sourced projects and ideas. The comments are not there simply to stroke little Billy's ego. They are to provide commentary on the project. Both positive and negative. So long as it is done in a polite, constructive and reasonably topical manner it's all fair and necessary.

Hmmm? It's a rumor and it concerns Pirates in 2013, just no Lego... at least not as of yet. Rumor is that the next Assasins Creed Game will be a Pirate Game. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122384-Rumor-Next-Assassins-Creed-Title-is-All-About-Pirates Maybe we can hope for a pop culture push?

Actually in the movies, (which Lego sets are based on) Sauron is shown in physical form. A 4 meter tall spiky armored humanoid with a huge spiked mace. He appears in the flashbacks to the last alliance battle in Fellowship and RotK. He also is shown in Lego form in the opening of the Lego LotR game.