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Faefrost

Eurobricks Grand Dukes
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Everything posted by Faefrost

  1. Faefrost
    The only downside is it kind of breaks the vague “period feel” to the buildings. You really didn’t start seeing ramps and wheelchair accessible buildings everywhere until the late 70’s - 80’s. Unless it was something like a Hospital. For an elevator to feel fully organic to these buildings it would almost need to be something like a hotel. Where it becomes an element of the story. Besides, and I’m not sure why, but I always think Jamie views elevators as cheating a little. He seemingly likes to design stairs such that you can stack the middle floors. There was a recent City Park set. Plus a number of The smaller Super Heroe sets have some accessories that work amazingly well with modulates. Street Signs, traffic lights, news stands and paper vending machines, etc. granted your city layout is almost always “Bleeker St.” Also some of the seasonal holiday sets were wonderful for fleshing out city streets.
  2. Faefrost
    Stupid honest question? Why does everyone think that the bank and a Laundromat are somehow something you would never find? I’m mainly asking because there was in fact a corner bank next to a laundromat just up the block from my Grandmother. There are far weirder combinations in the real world. The Gas Station/Vet is a little strange by modern standards. But likely would not have been even noticed a few decades ago.
  3. Faefrost
    DO was Jamie. I think BB might have been as well, at least in part.
  4. Faefrost
    I think it’s a Mike Psiaki design, but I could be wrong. I don’t think they have formally said yet.
  5. Faefrost
    The same folks ranting and hating on this, did the same to the PR when it released. Arguing it was too small, bad value, Lego was shortchanging everyone yada yada. Now they love it as an artistic masterpiece. When TH came out the bitched it was an ugly featureless overpriced box of air only valued for the dark orange. Now they hold it up as the standard for scale and presence. Seeing a pattern here? DD they hated, until they loved it. AS they hated because itwasn’t The same as what they had pictured in their head on hearing the name. The takeaway is a solid portion of the fandom will always complain, and is never satisfied in the internet. They will typically buy it, and by next year it will be the best thing ever, much better than whatever the next new thing to complain about is. (Those few that don’t buy will be complaining when it gets retired, that they didn’t get it.)
  6. Faefrost
    It’s a little more complicated than simply weight. But weight is a far better metric than Price per piece. Essentially each piece in the set has an assigned cost. Parts that are existing I n inventory cost less than parts that require an injection mold run to make. So in this case the volume of dark orange probably added a bit to price. Also remember that currency exchange can impact it. How is the Krona doing against the dollar?
  7. Faefrost
    It’s largely because of the style of architecture. This one is growing on me. It looks to be a Northeast US “rust belt” downtown industrial building. One that was repurposed for light commercial. The colors, window styles and fairly flat facade just scream that. You could find buildings not unlike this all along the old Erie a canal route and out to Chicago and Detroit. It will go well with the Downtown diner. I agree with those that say the box photo doesn’t show it in its best light.
  8. Faefrost
    If that is legit I kinda like It. The angled front is interesting.
  9. Faefrost
    Someone around here is an absolute master of Moc'ing exactly what you describe. Urban decay, collapse and failure in all it's glory and depravity. They are gorgeous buildings. I've been so tempted to follow his example.
  10. Faefrost
    The storyline is obvious. They want it to hook BOTH the City builders and the Friends Fans. Hence Mechanics Garage AND Vet Clinic. If the third floor includes a Dragon a Faerie and a Ninja we will know for sure.
  11. Faefrost
    I'm not sure how long you have been collecting. But Lego did do a City "Forest Fire" sub theme back in 2012. All the figures in that line had yellow forest gear. I think the new fig is probably a little more accurate to modern, but the 2012's should still be fairly easy and inexpensive to find. They released a 4 pack "minifig Battlepack" of the Firefighters. https://brickset.com/sets/853378-1/LEGO-City-Accessory-Pack
  12. Faefrost
    Just using some reasoned speculation, if we assume that it is a Garage as rumored, that it is a multi role building, and that it is a corner, we can come up with a few guesses as to how it will look. 1. If it is a standard 32x32 Modular it will look something like Brick Bank in terms of Profile and overall layout. The Garage will mean it needs an elevated or extra height ground floor so it will most likely be 2 floors like BB and FB, but tall floors. The Garage would probably be off center towards the baseplate edge on whichever facing it is on. The opposite edge will probably be another business or the stairs up. With some sort of office business above. Given the piece count there might be a third floor. If so likely an apartment. It will likely have 2 vehicles. A period Tow Truck and a car to be repaired. Figure it will have a nice workbench/tool rack, a lift, some parts and tires around etc. And a small sales/business office. 2. If the other rumor is correct and it has a 3000+ piece count it may be a 32x48 corner. This would balance out the block with AS. But somewhat limit peoples layout geometry. As the corner would be forced on one side. At 3000 ish parts it is likely that it would not be as big as AS. So likely not as tall. 3. If mixed use and a 32x48, it may be something like a corner single story service station (with elaborate Art Deco stylings above) with a 32x16 Pet Shop style building that can be positioned on either side. There are three vehicles and 1 Vespa in the Modulars so far. Everybody always forgets the Fire Truck. Also the Winter Village and Seasonal Set vehicles, such as the pickup trucks and snow plow, blend well with the Modulars stylings.
  13. Faefrost
    Actually while they technically target different audiences, some "sameness" allows for "crossover customers" which is how Lego hooks AFOL's. The Fire Brigade was fantastic for that. It was a gorgeous Fire House with a nice playable fire engine that attracted the eyes and hands of kids as well as adults and found itself on a lot of wish/want lists. It prompted the City builders to move up to the Modulars. There has not really been a comparable building since. A Mechanics Garage or Police Station would have the needed hook to do it. They allow for both the AFOl detail and the kid play, without it feeling forced the way that it does in DO and BB. There have been a number of Bank's in the City line. But oddly they are more prone to show up in the Super Heroes sets. Which often get confused with City. There have been several Batman Banks and at least one Spider-Man. The Lego club Magazine a few years back had a great ad featuring one of the Batman banks enlarged and expanded as a Modular that included Clark Kents apartment. It was gorgeous. That's a gorgeous MOC/Mod (I assume it is a FB rework?) Although shouldn't the lanterns on the sides of the door be blue? I thought that was the classic British symbol for Police Station? They kept that actual design/contents of Assembly Square secret until the end. The name leaked but gave no clues to what it was. Also I think the Downtown Diner was kept pretty tightly under wraps.
  14. Faefrost
    I understand what you are saying, but you miss the big “why?”. The answer is the best selling Modular building. The one that induced City builders over to the Modular line. The most common “first modular” for fans was the Fire Brigade. The more detailed and adult rendition of what they grew up with is the perfect crossover into the world of AFOL’s. A Police Station would be another such crossover and entry point. I think a Mechanics Garage would also function that way.
  15. Faefrost
    I still think this would be my favorite subject for a Modular Police Precinct House. Yeah they do City Police Stations every year, but the Moduilar's let them do something special. There is no comparison between the annual City Fire Station and the FB after all. But anyway this is the NYPD 19th Precinct in Manhattan. Built in 1887. I know we have been getting a ton of US style buildings in recent times, but I still don't think you could find a more perfect subject for a Lego Modular. I mean have you ever seen a building more made for (or from) Lego?
  16. Faefrost
    We’ve had three Modulars with included cars now. Fire Brigade’s 1930’s era Pumper. Palace Cinema’s open top Limo and Downtown Diner’s Pink Convertible. So they have been stretched fairly evenly across the whole length of the line, including the all time best seller of the series. The repeating pattern was corner -straight - straight -corner - etc. But that only holds up if you don’t count Market Street or Assembly Square. (Not to mention the two Ninjago “Modular” sets, which include a corner and a plate and a half straight.) we should be careful to not assume there are rules or patterns, where none actually intentionally exist. One thought ?I had (and it’s pure speculation) is we often see certain interconnected little stories and themes running through the modulars, and often bleeding into the CMF’s. Like the Wedding theme that runs through the GE, TH, PR and AS. We have a bit of a music theme running through ASand DD, with the Instrument shop, the Radio Station/Recording Studio etc. Plus a ton of music and record themed CMF’s. I would not be surprised if a secondary business in a modular is a Record Store. Firgure if this next set is a Mechanics Garage as speculated, and it’s a corner, it will have a footprint not unlike the BB. With the mechanics shop being the repair bay on one edge, a smaller office next to it. A small business on the other facing, such as were the laundromat is on the BB. And some sort of office type business upstairs.
  17. Faefrost
    I’m actually shocked at all the negativity in regards to a possible mechanics garage. I’ve long thought it was a great idea. A nice mid century inner city mechanic shop. They can be delightfully cramped and have distinctive front facings. Plus the potential for a ton of details and little builds. I agree it will have 2 vehicles. I know some hate those. But this would seem appropriate for the building. I never hear anyone complain about the FB’s Fire Truck. Just the limo and pink car. If the vehicles are needed in context they are fine. This will probably have a period tow truck and a car to be repaired. And before shrieking, among other subjects we have discussed are a Police Station and Post Office. Both of those would have vehicles as well. And to address two complaints that are being voiced, but are completely counter to each other... “the cars will eat up too many parts” and “a garage is just a big empty space!!!” Ummm no. The car is the thing that goes IN the garage, filling the space. Also it will be likely the Garage will have plenty of interior detail. A lift for the car to sit on. I suspect that it will be a 2 floor building with an elevated ground floor ceiling like the FB. Or at least half of it will be that. City Repair shops can be pretty tight. They could do a split 16x 32 setup like PS. I’m certain the repair bay wiould be off center just to differentiate the front from the FB. I think if the rumor is true it will be a nice set. And have a good crossover appeal from the city and Speed Champions crowd. This assumes the rumor is correct, and that listing is not simply referring to a regular Creator set such as the prior cafes etc.
  18. Faefrost
    I’m leaning towards a Police Station or Post Office. Just because those would be good “gateway” subjects to attract the younger City folk over to the more Adult modular line as they age. FB was fantastic for that, which is why it probably holds the record as most common first modular with collectors. The only other subject I could see having quite as much play value appeal would be something like a Mechanics Garage. The Brick Banks biggest flaw is not so much the Laundromat, as it is the fact that it was made a Corner Building. It would have been better as a straight front facing building. Similarly the DD should have been the corner. Nothing looks good attached to the awning side of it.
  19. Faefrost
    Production for these sets isn’t continuous. They do a batch, enough to stock the anticipated release, then based on the rate of sales and stock depletion will make a go no go decision on doing another run to restock the supply chain, or letting a set EOL. The sets that seemingly lasted forever, FB, PS and now PR got a second, and for FB I believe third factory run. Which kept the supply warehouses stocked for much longer. It’s likely DO and BB each only got 1 factory run. (Which is normal. It is the extra production runs that are unusual and indicate a top seller.) other things that will effect retirement decisions as stock runs down is “what is in the pipeline that we need the shelf space for?” So if a viable replacement is on its way they will let a set retire. Shelf space is finite and one of their main limiters.
  20. Faefrost
    There actually is a “definable era” to most of the Modular buildings. It’s just a bit broader than most realize. Typically they all fall in or around what Is characterized as the Steam/Diesel Transition Era. A period that saw the rise of the automobile as dominant. But Main Street was still Main Street. And the downtown city street was still the hub of life and community. Generally this period is from the early 1930’s to the late 60’s in the US and Canada. With some variation to the time frame in Europe. With that said, the Modulars represent simply a feel of a downtown. Not a precise moment in time. FB is pretty clearly the 1930-40 era based on the fire truck. DD is 50’s based on its car. PC is 30’s-40’s based on its movie, but these ate imprecise and subject to viewers interpretation. It’s a Lego City, not a perfect moment of time model railroad. Buildings last a long time and the same street will have many different styles.
  21. Faefrost
    It isn’t that “they wouldn’t dare”. They likely will use them if they create the desired texture or effect. They just wouldn’t use them as the core foundation of the building. There are no bad parts. Just bad part usage. Panels and Burps serve a purpose and can be great when creatively used.
  22. Faefrost
    They had a set with Coulson and the car in the pipeline. That’s the problem with pre-existing licenses. They already have a “to do” list spelled out in the contracts. (Not must do, but a list of everything clearly in the contract). That means these subjects are already assigned to TLG’s internal license groups, which typically means they are walled off from Ideas. Flintstones is interesting. Particularly as we never saw it in Minifigure form for Lego Dimensions. WB may be looking to invigorate the property. A crowd sourced fan designed Lego set is a great way to drum up free publicity and press.
  23. Faefrost
    Flintstones would probably be an easy license. It’s WB. They have great relations with Lego and tend to like this sort of thing. Sadly I think the only way we see a Lego Blackbird is if it comes with X-Men figures.
  24. Faefrost
    You have it mostly correct. Here's the thing to realize, License contracts are complex and each one is unique. So what one allows for another might not. Sometimes there are more than one contract in play. The existing contract so complicates things that it is a huge impediment to crowdsourcing designs. Plus it raises IP issues. Thus they have disallowed them going forward. The rare case where it might be possible isn't worth all the complications of trying to find out time after time after time when they know that the chances are so remote.
  25. Faefrost
    The fact that the Ninja, particularly the boys are not very sneaky, has been a running gag for 9 seasons.
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