MAB

LEGO won't care if they are played with, they care that they are bought and hopefully enjoyed so that more are bought in future.

There is quite a bit of play value for adults with DUPLO especially if they have kids. When my kids were young, we had many hours of fun building tall castles, and messing around with trains and train-track. DUPLO trains can easily go up and down hills on track, so this adds something not possible with regular trains. Even building more adult like MOCs can be interesting, due to the heavily restricted range of bricks in the DUPLO range. And then there is taking it to an extreme, such as ... http://thebrickblogger.com/2017/09/lego-duplo-for-adult-lego-fans/

I wondered as they do not rotate by 180 degrees on the first attempt, so I wonder what would happen in a narrow corridor or even a corridor that narrows as you go along it. At about 37 seconds it looks like it is about to happen, then the video cuts.

My daughter has the Grand Hotel from Friends. I think that is where she got the 8-deep technique from, and has always stuck with it. I bought her (and my son) a load of 8x16 plates too, which probably helps. My son tends to build castles that are hinged, so about 16x16 overall, but often these end up as opened out 8-deep display castles.

Interesting design. What happens if it goes down a corridor not much wider than itself, then glances on a wall? Does it come out again, or does it get stuck trying many directions that all lead to collisions?

There was speculation that LEGO would make a Muppets or Sesame Street CMF series to be able to justify new moulds for the Sesame Street IDEAS set.

I am sure one of the licensed Ideas will get through. It would not surprise me if it was Community, as it is widely available on streaming services.

The Liebherr is a bit of a red herring though, as it is a 2019 set, and the 18+ badge did not come in until 2020. It wouldn't surprise me if it was an 18+ set if released this summer. LEGO is still learning how to use the age to badge sets that it wants to appeal to adults. Within the space of a year, architecture has gone from 12+ to 16+ to 18+, for similar sized and priced sets. The January 2020 releases were both 16+, the White House (summer release) 18+, and 2019 San Francisco, Paris, Trafalgar Sq all 12+, Empire State and Burj Khalifa 16+. This covers both landmark and skylines. Trafalgar Square 12+ and White House 18+ are very similar in price and size, and in build complexity. A 12 year old could easily build the White House especially if they can build Trafalgar Square, but do most 12 year olds want a model of Trafalgar Square or the White House. And do adults (especially those not into LEGO) want sets designed for 12 year olds? This is what LEGO is learning about right now. I imagine they thought that the 16+ tag would help sell to adults, then realised that 18+ might be even better combined with a realization of how many adults were buying LEGO for themselves.

That isn't clear at all. Haunted House is 18+ and has playability. The cantina will have playability. Not all adults are the same, so not all adult sets will be the same. Even within the small number released so far, there is a range of sizes, a range of prices, a range of playability.

Exactly. Marketing. 16+ means it is a toy. 18+ means adults can buy it without feeling it is for kids. Anyone that bought the Forma set via indiegogo may remember the surveys about how Lego was marketing sets / ideas to adults. Larger sets are more expensive in general, and adults tend to be impressed by larger sets, as they feel more model like and less toy like. Plus adults tend to have a higher disposable income than kids. But there are still cheaper 18+ sets like the helmets, that help get new to LEGO adults drawn in.

I was watching my kids build houses over the past few weeks. They manage to build decent builds on 8 deep plates, with the front wall at the edge. So 7 studs interior deep. They find that is deep enough for play, enough to fit in beds, desks, tables, chairs, etc. They can easily get their hands in and out for play. Go much deeper than that and they tend to knock bits as they try to get things in and out. They seem to prefer higher shallow houses (with more floors) than lower and deeper (with fewer floors).

What is your point then? Of course all the sets are expensive if you remove the cheap ones, and sets are all cheap if you remove the expensive ones. Adults are more likely to be impressed by and also have the disposable income to spend on larger sets. However, there is still a range of prices for 18+, as there are for 12+.

Yes, they have a range of sizes and costs, just like every other range. It is wrong to categorize every adult targeted set as expensive as you did here:

I love the use of the eyes. It is amazing how you get such a different look for Manuel (gormless) and Sybil (frown) using the same eyes.

18+ sets can also be significantly cheaper than some other large sets. For example, the SW helmets are $60. Making it 18+ also suggests to adults that it is recommended for them. Whereas making it 16+ suggests is it for older teens. The distinction for 16/18 + is for marketing, not for complexity of build. I reckon a 12 year old could easily put the Mickey and Minnie sets together. However, I don't think a 12 year old would enjoy those sets as much as other LEGO sets that can be played with once built, as the Mickey and Minnie are essentially display dolls that cannot move. Similarly the Crocodile train could be put together by a kid that is used to building LEGO, but there is not much play fun in a set that can be pushed about 5cm on the track provided. It makes sense that these are shown as suitable for adults rather than a playsets, with a younger recommended age. The White House is 18+, but Trafalgar Square is 12+. Same range just a year apart. They are both similar sized and priced, White House slightly more in both. It is not that the White House is more challenging, or more expensive, just that Architecture is somewhat boring for most kids (not all kids, some will enjoy it) and also likely to sell better overall if flagged up as sets for adults to buy. Buying a set for a 12 year old is off-putting to some adults. Whereas say it is for adults, and it becomes an adult building set. LEGO are continuing from Forma here, testing how to market their products to adults.

I don't think they are necessarily being ignored, just not commented on. You mention wanting feedback but also being welcoming. Welcoming can mean two different things - actually commenting, and commenting only positively. Some people ask for comments but then get angry if you suggest any improvements or alternatives. I think if you really want feedback, you should ask. Better still if there are specific parts of the build you want improved then specifically ask about those. It is also somewhat circular. I used to comment in what I hope was a productive way, but very rarely did I see the MOC improved and reposted. And if feedback is not acted on by the builder, then there is little point in giving feedback. I think that is partly why feedback tends to be minimal. I also find a lot of posts are now adverts for Ideas projects. I tend to stop reading / looking at the MOC at the first mention of Ideas. Sometimes I don't get past the first line.

When I was a kid, the 1x1 round plates came on a sprue. They definitely had sprue marks.

I agree here. Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Tweety Pie, Sylvester, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Marvin the Martian, Roadrunner (I'm not sure how as a minifigure), Wile E. Coyote, Taz, Speedy Gonzales. Maybe Grannie, Mad Scientist, Foghorn Leghorn, Buzzards? I think nearly every one needs a new mould to be done right.

OK, comparatively, I doubt many richer people will be losing jobs compared to poorer people. If a significant number of people in middle classes cannot afford to buy LEGO, then LEGO prices will drop. LEGO only really does two things - make bricks and sell bricks - and those two are strongly linked. If they cannot sell bricks as now, then they will have to come up with ways of selling them. If cost is prohibitive, then they will need to cut the prices.

I thought I recognized the crusader, I have a number of those sticker sheets. The three lions one is very nice.

And those Goblins are little! It is a shame they printed the hat. Having a patch in the same place on all looks a bit odd, whereas a plain one would look better for an army.

I think it makes sense to limit the licensed ones to 12, where there are only a small number of popular characters. They have already done this with the very similar Unikitty line - that was a series of 12. Both Looney Tunes and Universal Monsters, I can think of about 12 in each that I would want done (and for Monsters, that already includes a number (nearly all) that will duplicate what has gone before).

Great! I'd love to see you take on the moose/deer head scene.

Yes, it deviates from the traditional village again which is why some people have stopped collecting the series. As a one off set it looks nice. But it has no real connection to the original series. But then they've done it with the workshop and the Gingerbread House. It has turned from a traditional winter village into a theme park / fantasy series.