M'Kyuun

Nice review. Since TLG first started producing UCS sets, I've been hoping for a Lambda Shuttle. It's a pretty model, but it still falls short of what I'd hoped. Mostly, I'm disappointed that functional landing gear wasn't part of the design. A boarding ramp, even if it led to nowhere, would have looked nice for display purposes. I am glad, however, that the cockpit is minifig scaled. It's a nice plus, given that these sets are designed for display, not for play. I get that, and so I don't fault the design for a lack of interior, as nice as that might have been. As far as the figs go, I wouldn't have expected to get any new figs, as we've had shuttle sets before with all the apropos figs, so it's no surprise that they appear here as well. This does, however, make me hope we'll see a newly redesigned System Tyderium Shuttle in the future, perhaps a scaled down version of this set with more play features, i.e. ramp and landing gear, as well as wings that achieve full travel to match the original model (one of my biggest beefs with nearly every shuttle set thus far). While the old System set was ok, it wasn't quite right, and given their penchant for better accuracy in their redesigns, I hope this ship, as iconic as it is, gets a nice makeover in a smaller scale, with playability in mind, that's also more affordable.

LOL, sad but true. TRON did see a small resurgence with the PC game Tron 2.0 a few years back. I think hopes were high back then that the game would spark off a movie. I never played it, but I don't believe it was as successful as expected. I agree that the options for sets are pretty much limited to computer-world vehicles, for the most part, but a well done light-cycle would be pretty cool, not to mention some well done minifigs with glowing circuitry. I'd definitely pick up a few sets. Hopefully the sequel will be excellent, spawning yet another, and TLG will take the plunge. At that point, they'll have material from 3 movies to inspire sets. I'd also like to point out that not every license gets a large compliment of sets, i.e. Avatar: The Last Airbender, which could have spawned a lot more sets, but topped out at 3. Slightly OT, but it's a shame that Disney doesn't make a lot of sci-fi like they did in the 70's and early 80's. Tron, The Black Hole, C.H.O.M.P.S., Flight of the Navigator, etc. Granted, like a lot of stuff back then, they were cheesy movies, but they also had some cool ideas. The source and condition of Dr. Reinhardt's crew (Black Hole) is particularly dark for a Disney movie, and very cool.

Looks good. I'm in favor of any upgrades to this program, as I MOC more with LDD than with real bricks (b/c I'm too lazy to sort my collection). I hope, along with the improved aesthetic, the part to part interaction will be fixed (certain parts do not connect to other pieces the same as they do in reality, as well as axles do not travel into certain technic parts as far as they do in reality negating or limiting their use on virtual models) Looking forward to trying it out this month. Will the Universe pallette be standard? If not, will a previously unlocked Universe pallette remain viable when upgraded to v4, or will we have to unlock it again? Since unlocking it, I can't imagine taking a step back to the limited pallette of regular LDD.

from your lips to TLG's ears. While the fig looks good, and PoTC would sell well, that ship has sailed (pun intended). I'd personally have preferred TLG continue making their own line of Pirates...there's more freedom for the designers. Tron is the next big movie from Disney, and I think it packs more potential than, say, Speed Racer. Tron figs, if done well with glow in the dark circuit patterns, and an assortment of vehicles from the old and new movies, esp the light cycles, would all sell well I think. I was hoping a Tron fig would be revealed. Jack's cool, Tron would have been better.

I'm liking the looks of this model, but the price seems a bit steep per number of parts. The ship itself, while captured pretty faithfully in brick, is an ok design. There was precious little exposition about the model in the video; it would have been nice to see the features beyond the rotating astromech dome. I'm curios if there's landing gear. I hope they make a UCS model of the Ep III Jedi Starfighter. That and the Naboo fighter are my two favorite prequel fighter designs. We got a small UCS Naboo fighter (10026) in 2001, and, imho, it was trumped by the System release in 2007 (7660), which was pretty sleek, accurate, and could accommodate a fig.

I'm partial to action themes for many of the reasons already stated. primarily, I like sci-fi, or something gadgety, like the Agents theme, which was brilliantly executed IMHO. I also liked Exo-Force, although i found the mecha to be lacking...the idea , however, and TLG's willingness to take a step in that direction, was great, and hopefully a precursor to more, hopefully improved, mecha themes in the future. I've been a Space fan since its inception--there's just so much to love about classic, and even modern, space sets. The action themes generally have interesting figs, a neat underlying story, interesting parts, and usually at least one or two stand-out sets that fire the imagination. Plus, action is at the heart of the sets, so they are often gimmicky, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse (not crazy about the many different shooting mechanisms employed, esp Bionicle based). I think SP3 struck a good balance...very colorful figs, at least on the part of the aliens. I haven't invested in Atlantis sets, but I still like the ship designs and the overall theme. Mars Mission, despite the lackluster alien figs, managed some neat sets, esp in the second wave. I could go on, but in short, it's the unique experience inherent with all the action themes of living out some kind of fantasy, or at least just this side of reality, which sparks imagination or memory, in some cases, and appeals to the inner kid. In my case, the demarkation between inner kid and 39 yr old is blurry and in consistent negotiation.

I gave the set an "average" score, as it was a fun build, but the many inaccuracies brought it down for me. Given the parts and figs, it was worth the asking price at the time, but definitely not worth today's going price on the second-hand market. Rather than create another similar modular set, I'd rather TLG produced the various scenes in modular stand alone sets. It would make them more affordable, and allow for more accuracy and detail to be included in each scene. The only other alternative I see is for TLG to produce another mega-playset like the Death Star, with a very large piece and minifig count, a large round platform, to mimic the shapes of the Cloud City floating structures, seperated into the various scenes, and possibly a cloud car to round the set out. The latter idea would be cool, esp if the amount of attention went into it as the Death Star, but it would be a very pricey set.

Good review! Your pics give a good indication as to the size, which is markedly smaller than the original (a 4-wide speeder bike could fit between the slopes that form the inner structure in the original). The new figs look nice, but Han and C3PO still seem odd choices. It's curious that TLG didn't give us a printed cockpit piece, or at least a sticker to simulate controls, rather than create a removeable control pallet with the controls one would assume to be necessary in the cockpit. I'll most likely get one of these, more for the figs than the AT-AT, as I feel the original set far outshines this model. I'd like to see a side-by-side pic of the new and old AT-ATs (non-walking one, i.e.) However, for those who missed out on the original, I'm glad you'll get a chance to own an official AT-AT model. I'm hoping their next version will be either UCS (w/minifigs), or, at the very least, a larger more accurate version (that seats 2 in the cockpit). I doubt that this will be the last AT-AT set we see before they give up the license.

Someone feed that AT-AT! Looks a bit skinny from straight on, and Han and C3PO still make no sense for this set. Considering that the original AT-AT also sold for $99.99 USD with more parts and a more accurate model, I find this set underwhelming. For those who missed out on the original, however, at least there's an option. I'm pleased with all the other sets this year. I have some mixed feelings about the Lamda Shuttle, which has long been my favorite SW vessel; I'd hoped that a UCS model would have working landing gear as a minimum. I always figured it would use ratcheting hinges to affect the wing swing in stead of a technic mechanism, thus permitting some semblence of an interior. Finally, the nose appears , to me, to be a little too long and narrow; the front of the nose of the movie model forms a small hooded area where the vents are located(one of my favorite details, and totally wrong on this LEGO model). Using DMAC's wing and upper sail design, utilizing technic for strength, was a strong choice allowing the model to remain largely studless. Congrats to you, DMAC, for getting to see your ideas employed in an official set. Mimicry, they say, is the highest compliment.

This is fantastic. I love Gothic architecture, and have long been a firm believer that it can be employed in a non-religious building. I hope someone at TLG sees this, and realizes that this works well, looks appropriately venerable, stylish, and ancient all at the same time, and fits within the adult oriented modular town sets, i.e. Cafe Corner, Green Grocer, etc. Great job all around!

I've been hoping since 1999 that TLG would produce a UCS Lambda Shuttle, so I'm pleased. Even better, it can accommodate minifigs. That said, the nose of the thing looks a bit too long and pointy. May just be the perspective. The wings, like its system scale predecessor, don't appear to rotate down to as steep an angle as the movie version (plenty of reference pics on the net for comparison). Just as a personal note, I'd have liked it if they modeled the cockpit/nose after BaronSat's UCS moc. Although I have 3 of the original AT-AT sets, I'll be picking up at least one copy of the new model. I hope TLG resisted the urge to use primary colored parts in the model that show through the plating like in the original, and I really hope they managed to have two pilots, even if they are seated one slightly behind the other like in the upcoming Space Shuttle set. Given that this is a smaller scaled model than the original, however, my hopes are not high. I still wonder why they chose to put C3PO in an AT-AT set, esp when another snowtrooper, or perhaps a small probe droid would have been a better fit. I'll pick up the midi star destroyer just because. Midi-scale doesn't do much for me. They are little more than interesting paperweights, or nice parts packs.

Nice retro look. I still hope TLG will resurrect Blacktron at some point.

Neat. Escape pod first came to mind. How'd you get the minifig to sit on a part with no studs?

By way of clarification, I still encounter parts in the pallette that connect legally with real parts and have been featured in official sets, but do not do so in LDD. The coffee cup is one example, and the goblet is another. I've encountered others as well, but I can't think of them at the moment. The problem with technic axles not fully inserting into the technic rod ends is all kinds of suck, as well. In the digital, and with real bricks, I try to use legal connections.

Thanks..very kind. Yeah, the cockpit piece isn't exactly fitting for the forklift, but it fits the mech, and I'm generally biased more towards the mech mode. Plus, I just really like that cockpit piece. This is, in fact, intended to be a "spacy" type of vehicle, used on other planets to move cargo. I originally intended to have a closed cockpit, but once into the build it just didn't work out that way. But it does offer more protection to the driver. As for transforming, there's some practicality to its assuming a more compact ground-effective form to squeeze into ships and low structures, and then assume a more anthropomorphic form to traverse terrain and handle the cargo with more versatility in wide open or industrial areas. Truth be told, scrape away all my rationalisation and all you'll see is a big kid who still loves Transformers.

That's a neat little bird. I like the coutouring on the fuselage...nice retro vibe going on there. The red and tan offset very well, and the tan is used just enough. Cool! After taking a second look, a version with the tail booms connected to the wings,a la the P-38, would make a nice variant. i love the P-38, though, so I'm biased.

Many of the bugs i've encountered have already been mentioned. My two biggest gripes are part connectivity and rotation. First, all parts that can go together should, and at the proper variance. Rotationwise, a grouping tool, where perhaps you can lump a group of connected parts and perhaps label them and apply rotation to the group instead of seeking out a hidden rotation joint. Someone also mentioned a sort of "adjustment" allowing parts that are a fraction of a millimeter apart to adjust and connect properly to allow the model to function. A "Function" function for models with tandem moving parts or parts in a system to operate and move complimentary to one another would also be great. However, I feel this is probably a bit too complex for the intended scope of the program. How about an advanced designer program that features a better interface, more technicality and functionality. Ambassadors? The question is certainly worth posing, as it seems there are quite a number of adults using the program, or giving up on LDD to use other LEGO based digital programs (LDraw, for instance) due to the expanded capabilities.

Thanks for the interest! I built this completely in LDD, using only the provided digital tools, which can be challenging, given the quirks inherent in the program. If built in the "real", I'm pretty confident it would work like the digital model (I designed it with thoughts of buying it, so I wanted it to work as well as possible). I've built four other models, none as complex as this, and they all worked out pretty well when built with real bricks, with minor flaws or nuances, of course. As good as the program is, it just can't replace the real thing. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them. Again, thanks for taking such interest.

Thanks for the compliments. I built this with Design by Me bricks, so it's buyable; but, at nearly $100 USD, the cost is a bit prohibitive at PAB prices, otherwise I'd build it for real and take some pics. I'm sure a tweak here or there would be required in the transition from digital to real. For one, gravity and the fit of bricks can make a big difference. If anyone looks hard, you'll see the crossmember on the arms leading to the forks is different between the forklift pics and the mech. I discovered that the original design didn't work so well while transforming it to take screenshots for the post. The grey and black bits on the forearms are my hastily concocted solution to the problem. :)

Yes and yes. It features perfect transformation, i.e., no parts need to be removed from the model. Everything is hinged. It is a pain, but I built this in forklift mode, while keeping a copy of it in its mech form for reference and to try different things. For the pics, I started out in forklift, and took pics of the various stages going from forklift to mech. heree are a couple transition shots.

Very cool. Love the classic look. I checked the photosdet; the tanks in back are a sweet and fitting detail.

Gorgeous. Nice sleek, wasp-like styling. This is exactly the sort of thing we should get if TLG decide to revive Blacktron. Great job!

Actually, I thought I did deeplink. Sorry. I'm a bit busy now, so I'll give it a try later. Deeplinked.

After building my space-mail truck, it seemed only fitting that some sort of lifting mechanism would be needed to maneuver the detachable mail box. I love the cargo theme, but I didn't want to build something as simple as a forklift. So, with Ripley's power loader in mind, i built the following in LDD.

Overall, the sets are looking pretty good. Painted owls... While there are still alot of complaints about Chinese outsourcing, I very much like the painted details we're seeing on many figs and creatures now. The new Aragog 's not as nice as the original, esp, as someone mentioned, the stickered tile for his eyes. Hagrid's Hut looks alright, but the last version was still nicer, IMHO. Gotta love the printed pumpkins and mushrooms, though. The original Weasely Ford was closer to the real thing than the new version, and it looked alot better. I do like bonnet and the use of the fender piece for the grill, but the placement of the bumper is too low. Also, the fins do not rise up on the real car..they go straight back and the boot dips, forming fins. The wheels on the new model look too small...just not quite right, and it looks like there are two stripes running down the side of the new version (one below the door, and one along the fender where it's supposed to be.) I don't know why, but the inaccuracies of the car just bum me out to the point I barely register much else in the set. The train looks good, and all the accessories, details (chocolate frog!), and figs are great. But the car... The castle looks fantastic, and I, too, want to see it all closed up. The placement of the hinges makes it close differently than I would have expected. The Burrows looks pretty nice. Love the new hair pieces. Ginny looks spot-on. I also noticed Molly's legs don't appear to have been painted all the way to match the torso. Hope that's just a preproduction flaw. TLG do a pretty good job of capturing the characters in minifig form. It's nice to see the expansion of hair pieces, along with new faces and torso prints.