M'Kyuun

I might also suggest downloading Veoh TV at veohtv.com. Great program with a broad spectrum of international tv shows, movies, et. al. Been downloading the new Macross Frontier with English subs...it's not always the best quality, but it's certainly better than not seeing it at all. I haven't checked to see if either BW or BM are there, but given their popularity I'd be willing to bet the odds are high. All the best to ya, Brainbox!

Have you tried finding Beast Wars DVDs online? I got my box sets at Suncoast, a DVD/music retail chain in the States, but I'm not sure if they sell internationally. I would think someone out there would sell BW and MW online. I didn't realize how young you were...or maybe it's just that I'm getting old (37). Still don't look it or feel it, though, and toys keep me young. Anyway, you're actually old enough to appreciate, and potentially afford, alot of the really neat stuff that's out there nowadays. I was born in '71 and grew up through the 80s when toys were not taken seriously by adults, there was no fan input, toys were generally cheaply made, had little articulation or detail, and were dressed up greatly by box artwork, which advertised all the things you wished your toy could do. Now toy companies are starting to pay attention to their fandom. Hats off to both TLG and Hasbro for being frontrunners in the new paradigm shift. As for T-formers, I'm still trying to find some of the 2nd and 3rd wave of TFA. Pickins are slim here in Spokane, WA. I think the international market gets this stuff before we do...we're an afterthought here in the Pacific Northwest, overshadowed by Seattle.

The old toys do have their charm, despite their brickiness. They were innovative for their time, along with the concept itself (well, at least in the West. The Japanese have been into robots and mecha since the 40's or 50's.) I'm sure I could download the various seasons of T-Formers, but the thought of later things like Kremzeek and "Cosmic Rust", along with Seaspray's annoying banter and voice (no insult to the VA who did the voice, as it's fitting I suppose, but annoying nonetheless) cause involuntary cringing and loathing. I loved the first 16 eps. period. After that, the show took a down turn in the writing and plots, and lost what little muturity and seriousness it had in the first season. So, I treasure my first season DVDs, and refuse to sully my good memories of the series by watching any of the remaining, with the movie as the only exception. Actually, there were a lot of things I disliked about the movie, mostly in the dialog and silliness, plus the need to jettison Decepticons to shed weight...in the vacuum of space. Just, well, terrible. I remember being blown away by the art, as it was so far and above Western animation (and, really, still is). I like humor, but I like dark humour and eschew slapstick and corny humour, and that's what was employed in the latter eps and the movie. Now Beast Wars had some corniness, but in a more , I dunno, mature manner. Some of the humour was subtle, and others just in your face silly, but the show had a charm that was different than the G1, G2 toons. i wasn't crazy about animals as alts at first, but like Animated, it took a few eps of appreciating the writing, the characterizations, and the plots to appreciate that it was different, yeah, but in a good, appreciable way. Funny, for years I uttered great plumes of invective towards poor Flint Dille, who assumed the position of Executive Producer of Transformers from second season on, and also executive produced G.I. Joe, which I found barely watchable because of its ridiculous writing and one-sidedness. So, from the age of 14 until just a few years ago, when the 20th anniversary Movie DVD came out, I blamed Flint for singlehandedly destroying The Transformers for me and reducing it to mindless crap. Why so serious, you ask? First season was my raison d'etre..the Holy Grail of coolness, and it had been taken from me, replaced with G.I. Joe -like dumbness. However, I granted Flint a personal reprieve, as I watched some interviews with the writers fro m the show expounding on their personal creations of all the various things I loathed in the cartoon, and their freedom to do so (after all, the show had to go on, and it really was a 20 minute advertisement for toys...I didn't feel that way personally, but I've come to accept it in my old age) So Mr. Flint Dille, if you're reading this, sir, I absolve you!

I'm very much a G1 fan, but only the first season. From the second season on, I lost interest in the show (the writing became silly to me) but retained my interest in the toys, although the toys became increasingly more all-plastic with the same lack of articulation. I missed the all the head, target, and powermasters eps because we didn't get the channel on our cable. In fact, to date, i've still never seen all the episodes following the movie when Prime was brought back and Rodimus was a self-doubting whiner, nor anything from G2. G2 came out when I was stationed in Okinawa, and ironically, i don't think I saw a single Transformer show in the two years I was there, although a little toy shop near Kadena had several Transformers and tons of Gundam models. The toys of today are little inexpensive works of art, and not just Transformers, although their complexity and engineering raise them to to a higher level IMHO. I'm with you Brainbox...I applaud Hasbro's choices thus far for the Classics/Universe line, as these are the iconic characters going all the way back to the beginning. I hope sales continue to be lucrative, prompting Hasbro to continue in this vein for a few more years. After picking up last year's movie toys, I honestly have little interest in either the second movie or its toys. TFA and Classics are much better to me.

The developers said this was the next chapter, and it looks like the story is going to be on par with the various effects engines and gameplay. I wish it was being made for PC, but it should look great on the PS3. Nice to hear James Earl Jones voicing Vader in this game; most SW games use other voice actors to approximate the voices of main characters from the movies.

Actually, I had no idea what his Targetmaster's name was...not too fussed about Targetmasters. It's a gimmick that doesn't really do much for me...more interested in the wielder, and Cyclonus captures the look of his predecessor. I'd agree about the 25th anniversary comment, but I'm not sure that Classics was born of that intention, but merely as a limited transitory line until the movie toys hit shelves. It's a matter of Hasbro's choosing good characters ,making some some decent toys for the line, and fans' nostalgia that made it successful. If you're referring to their bringing back Targetmasters, and, by extension, potentially Headmasters and Powermasters, then I think it's simply a product decision to pick characters and ideas from across the various classic lines and give them updated toys, as well as introduce some variety to Universe. None of the said 'Masters' lines were too interesting to me, but I'm a definite fan of recreating the classic iconic characters with updated articulation and aesthetics; if some of the classics are incorporated into one of the 'Masters' lines, and they're executed with the same attention and detail of the Classics toys thus far, I'll gladly add them to my collection.

Gotta concur about Cheetor..not diggin' it too much. TFA Blurr looks awesome, as does Longarm/Shockwave. Looking forward to Ironhide, Cyclonus, and Hound/Ravage. I'm really pleased with the Universe and TFA toys. Glad that Hasbro takes an interest in its fanbase, giving us alot more classic looking Transformers, esp after all the Armada and Energon stuff, which held no interest for me. I've been hoping for something like Classics for a very long time, and I think they've done a great job with the homages, as well as the toy designs themselves. Been collecting these things for a long time now, and man, I have to say that kids today just don't appreciate how great toy design is now, esp on complex toys like Transformers. The Transformer toys of my youth were approx $13 a pop and were little more than die-cast bricks. As much as die-cast gives one a feel of solidarity, I prefer the lighter more poseable, if not cheaper, all plastic toys for the general lines. I was seduced by the dark side and eschewed the all-plastic American Alternators for the die-cast Japanese BinalTechs, with no regrets. To me, those were more along the lines of collectibles, and generally the BT's looked better than their Alternator counterparts. Sorry, got a little carried away in my geekdom...turning down the volume!

Been looking at the San Diego Comic-Con pics; lots to look forward to. I'm really loving TFA Longarm/Shockwave. Very well executed as he has two bot modes and two alt modes. Shockwave's alt mode hasn't been shown in the toon yet, so it was cool to see it in the toy form. Universe Classics Hound/Ravage look amazing, esp Ravage, who's been completely redesigned, looks much more like his G1 cartoon self, and still transforms into a cassette that fits in G1 Soundwave. Between Hasbro and TLG, I'm gonna go broke! link to images: http://www.tformers.com/ig.php?mode=album&...800&start=0

Curse my slow internet connection..I have to watch it in fits and starts. So far, I've enjoyed all the animated takes on the prequel story far more than the actual live action prequels. I hope this series and the upcoming live action series benefit from good story writers, and more to the point, good dialog writers. GL is amazing when it comes to visualizing and creating his universe, but his dialog skills leave somewwhat to be desired, as he himself has remarked, citing the nickname given him by Harrison Ford : The King of Wooden Dialog. Some nifty droids and ships in there for TLG to make into sets.

The Toys R Us here in Spokane had a lot of the X-Wings and Hoth Bases as well, so it looks like a calculated push to sell a couple limited edition sets along with the Clone Wars. I also go to TRU several times a month and they haven't had these sets for awhile. dillthepill, what's your deal? This is the third topic I've read this morning where you disparage LEGO and those who are into the hobby, on a website that is for fans of LEGO. If LEGO is not your thing, why are you here?

I keep seeing people spell the name as such: Ashoka; it's actually Ahsoka. LEGO spelled it correctly on the Twilight and AT-TE boxes. If you Google the name, there's a bit of info on her in Wikipedia.

Welcome to eurobricks, Jessica. Since everyone answered your first question and ignored your second, let me just say you're a rather fetching lass; nice to have a pretty face gracing these forums. Again, welcome!

Reading through these, i gotta wonder what you guys are doing to your Star Wars sets to make them fall apart so easily, although I'll grant that Jango's Slave 1 was pretty flimsy. Can't understand the hate for the Hoth MF...I have 3 of em. I'd have to go with Ultimate Light Saber Duel as well...not their best effort. And all the black and blue TIE cubes...could've been much better.

I'll get at least one of each Clone Wars sets and a Death Star.

Recently dug out Thief: Deadly Shadows (2004), third game in the series, and decided to play it again. The Thief games were great, an interesting twist on FPS, esp the first two, where you're restricted from killing when playing on expert. Fortunately, the makers of T:DS didn't have the no-killing qualm, so one can employ deadly force at will. However, it's still fun to eschew killing and finding ways to sneak around your enemies. Hope there's another installment down the road, or a similar game set in the future where you can vape your enemies, but it's cooler to lay low and search for clues/ complete objectives.

My last name is McQuown. Phonetically, it's Mic-kyow'in, with a short o, like in cow. My user name is more like the Scottish pronunciation, but I like the u's instead of double o's.

Good ideas all around.. esp the use of different colors; I'm not a fan of orange, and it limits what can be made cuz, let's face it, orange just doesn't go well with too many other colours. I appreciate that TLG has tried to make the aliens look alien, rather than making more minifig aliens like in the UFO sets( although, those figs are still some of my all time favorites), but their execution, most agree, was pretty terrible. An alien from Aliens would be cool, but a little tough to fit into ships. Even the new commander alien leaves somewhat to be desired, but at least all 4 appendages move and he can be posed. I liked the 2008 sets much better than the 07, and I hope the trend continues. Bases would be cool, if the same attention was put into both..I think the aliens should have a way of experimenting on the mini-figs and hooking them up to their machines..make the playing field even, so to speak. It is funny, however, that the sets make the "human" figs look like sadists, and the aliens are just protecting what's rightfully theirs. Nice twist to the generally universal egocentric view that humans are always the good guys or victims, always right and rightfully deserving of everything...kinda like America! I'd love to see TLG take a page from Hasbro's book, i.e. bring back the old sets, but in a much updated and improved way, keeping the features that made the oldies so cool, and adding some that weren't possible 20 years ago, except shooters...shooters we can live without.

I have another idea if anyone would like to submit it: Theme: Auto Factory Set 1: Assembly Plant: Industrial building with sign. A variety of vehicles can be made from modules that attach to one or two different chassis types. Different wheels can be installed. Comes with a track mounted yellow or orange industrial robot with a clicky hinged arm and attachments for handling the car parts. Welders and a variety of tools/ tool carts included. Two minifigs included. Set 2: Custom Car Shoppe: Small garage with two modular cars, parts to add spoilers, multipe side panels or doors with different stickers, parts to create intake scoop or protruding engine from hood. Roof panels with/without sunroof, clear and tinted windshields and side windows(if included), different style wheels. Comes with shop worker and customer, tools and accessories.

Actually a secret base for aliens would be cool. At the risk of committing heresy, MegaBloks had a pretty neat MIB theme with slime! The figs looked pretty good, and the aliens, from the way they looked on the box, really were jelly-like and in different shapes and colors. The sets were reminiscent of M.A.S.K., as they took on the appearance of everyday buildings/vehicles, but opened up into labs and bases for examining/ experimenting on the aliens. Having built a MegaBlok set (a gift several years ago), I was not impressed..they don't hold nearly as well, the building techniques are questionable, and , if I remember correctly, it was missing parts so I was unable to complete the model. Incidently, it was a rather sizeable Apache styled helicopter. That experience swayed me from buying any MegaBloks for myself, although, admittedly, they have produced some elements that I wish TLG would emulate. A Macross license, in celebration of the 25th anniversary and based on the Macross Frontier series, would be awesome. I'd cry in happiness and sadness; happy b/c they finally made transforming Valkyrie sets; sad b/c Harmony Gold would most likely block their sales in the US. I'm not going to elaborate any further; info on Harmony Gold and its influence in the US concerning Macross properties can be found on www.macrossworld.com. I'm sticking with my desire for a well-executed transforming theme. I have faith TLG could make some impressive stuff. To align with TLG's confict basis, I'd suggest two or three rival air and space-borne cargo corporations with transformable transports, approx the size of the plane in Peril in Peru, as well as smaller transforming interceptor jets that transform and act as protectors. The idea of competing freight companies with high technology would present alot of opportunities for different designs that could also be made to fit in with current City sets. I'd be absolutely stoked to be a part of creating this line.

I'm an American, so I lament what we pay for some of these large collector sets, yet I still shell it out b/c it's my favorite hobby and I make enough to afford it. Still, the value of the American dollar is rather dismal, esp when compared to the Euro or the British Pound, so I'm always surprised when European nations are paying nearly the same price point in their respective currencies. I always thought, perhaps, out of fairness across markets, or that North America, specifically the US, buy more sets relative to European countries, thus the similarity in pricing( i.e. possibly making up for lesser sales in Europe by placing the price equivalent to the US). However, that in no way explains the terribly high prices our mates Down Under have to pay for practically everything toy related, not just LEGO. I'm not a student of economics; I find the subject woefully complex and dull, and so my statements are purely conjecture. Perhaps Europeans buy more LEGO than the US, which makes one wonder why the prices the US pay aren't higher. I'm glad they're not; LEGO is an expensive hobby as it is. I remember as a kid seeing a lot of small sets priced around $15 and less...TLG made a lot of small sets back in the 80's. Those days are gone. However, I have to say, compared to the 90's, which saw some really crappy sets from LEGO, the new sets over the last few years have really given us much better models, better, more innovative builds, and lots of extra pieces as well as high piece counts for the dollar compared with sets just 10-15 years ago. As for the Death Star, going by the standard approx $.10 per piece ratio, I think it's fairly priced due to the many minifigs, and it definitely exceeds my expectations; I honestly thought we'd get something like the Bespin playset, which was mediocre at best. I'm pleased that Lucasfilms are so involved in the creative/approval process for these sets. I've always laboured under the assumption that they received a cursory glance from Lucasfilms, received the "go ahead", and thus ended up on shelves. I'm also pleased to hear that GL counts the LEGO SW toyline his favorite, which probably galls the good folks at Hasbro who've been churning out SW stuff for many years, after absorbing Kenner.

I believe it'll be available on SAH; Peril in Peru is a TRU exclusive, but still appeared on SAH.

Unfortunately, what we as adults find interesting and cool isn't mutually so with kids. It doesn't help that most toys today are amped up for action and contain shooting mechanisms, hence the direction TLG has been taking. That said, i'm an AFOL, but a zoo theme doesn't interest me, either. Although i see the potential to make some nice little environs for some of the animals, there's little to do with it beyond having a fig with a shovel to clean imaginary animal poo and another fig with a feed bucket, as well as a couple onlooker figs. The animals would have no articulation besides a moving head. Bottomline, it's more of a display piece than a playset...sorry, kinda boring. By way of suggestion, you may try emailing requests or ideas to the fellas over at BrickForge.

SWAT is an acronym for Special Weapons and Tactics; they are specially trained to use more powerful weaponry and combat skills above and beyond those required by law enforcement. In short, it entails strong violence...that's their raison d'etre, and why neither SWAT, which are for urban warfare, nor the military, for international warfare, will be produced. I personally don't think SWAT has a place in LEGO City; however, nothing stops one from building their own...the Agents, Dino Attack, and Alpha Team all had minifigs that fit suitably into the role, and TLG makes weapons, or one can buy them online from certain producers like BrickArms. Ultimately, while I think military style vehicles and such are cool, I respect and concur with TLG's reluctance to produce them as sets for a child aimed theme like City. Heck, the City Police don't even carry weapons, just handcuffs and flashlights. As for a farm theme, I definitely think it fits in with City. While it doesn't interest me greatly, I think it adds something to the theme that hasn't been done before. Plus, I can easily see a field of breakable crops being mowed asunder by a LEGO combine, or something like this ( http://www.harvestsalvage.ca/8850_John_Deere_Tractor.JPG ). Plus, there could be silos with a working Archimede's screw to move the "crop" to the top, or belt conveyors to move hay. So many possibilities...I think it'd prove successful if done well. And of course, new animals could be introduced.

Exactly. It would be open to a lot more imagination for the designers, and better for us too. Plus, instead of forklifts, there could be mecha to do the lifting, lots of weird and interesting bot designs, jetpacks, maybe a tube or pod-on-a-wire type transportation system. Resurrect the old UFO theme dish pieces and put them on stalk-like towers, put a clear top on it, and you've got a great hydroponics bay to simultaneously aerate the atmosphere and provide nourishment. Classic Space styled ships could make a very welcome comeback, as well as allowing for modern designs as well. A space theme like this could co-exist with Star Wars b/c the look and feel of each would be very different, but the lessons and techniques TLG have learned from producing SW would certainly make a Space City theme more interesting..just think of capital Hospital ships, a diplomatic ship where aliens and mini-figs toast a bright future, or a 2001 Space Odyssey inspired type cargo ship. And unlike the white/orange, mining/alien capturing foci of the Mission to Mars sets, Space City would allow any number of themes within the theme to be approached with a variety of figs, colors, ships, bots, buildings, etc. So many possibilities....

Phred, much thanks. I'm actually just glad that someone took a liking to my ideas, let alone willing to send them in. So without further preamble: Theme 1: Auto Sales- Every town needs someplace to buy wheels, and the same is true in LEGO City. Busy mini-figs are always on the go, so come on down to Oleg's Auto Sales and score that sweet ride you've been dreamin' about! Set 1: Car Lot: Comes with a single-story office ( desk, chair, computer , maybe a decal of a picture of Oleg the Salesman in all his overly-big smiling glory ) adjoining a small showroom, mostly all windows, of course, with a rotating dais to display the latest in sporty carfare. The building is situated on a baseplate equipped with several stadium lights, a sign, some multicolored banners or flags arranged along the roof of the building. The lot comes with 4 6-stud wide vehicles: a red sporty car; a vintage car ( reddish brown pieces could be used here and there to evoke rusty patches); a mini-van with a sliding or folding door on the side, if possible; and a stepside pickup, two-tone blue with the dark grey fenders. Mini-figs would include Oleg and a female prospective customer (b/c there are too few female figs in City) Set 2: Car Transport- an 8-wide, 10-15 long lorry with a double decked trailer. The upper deck is hinged in the center and kept in place with this part on either side ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=53586 ). The trailer can fit 4 -5 vehicles and comes with a 6-wide Jeep type vehicle. The set also comes with fire extinguisher, a gas can, tool wheel, walkie talkie. The truck is a cabover type, similar to ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?S=7900-1 ). Comes with driver and mechanic. Theme 2: Mini-Mall - Life in LEGO City is hectic; the Mini-Mall is the one-stop-shop for savvy City-zens! Set 1: The Mini-Mall is comprised of 4 single story modular shops built on 12x12 bases with removeable rooves.: Quick-Clicks Salon is the perfect place to , erm, exchange that natty hair piece for something more stylish and ..green? Comes with 2 rotating barber chairs that can recline, sinks with indents for mini-fig heads, an assortment of various hair pieces, including the Exo-Force hair, blow-driers or old style bubbles to go over patrons' heads, mirrors(shiny decal), cabinets, tonics, and brushes. Comes with stylist and male and female patrons. The Ice Cream Shoppe is bisected by a bar approx 10 studs long and 3 studs wide. At one end is a 4-wide counter with a cash register, and the remaining bar is covered by a 6 stud sneeze-guard(windshield). The bar could possibly be made from this piece ( http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemPic.asp?P=30150 ) in white, and contain ice cream and popsicle pieces. The shop also has one or two 2x2 round tables and chairs. Comes with Server, maybe a kid mini-fig. The Pizza Parlor is an update of set# 6350-1 Pizza to Go. Features pizza ovens, pizza spatulas( part# 3900), a small counter with register, a glass door faced fridge for drinks, goblets #33061, and a 4x4 round table( decoed with 1x1 red and white tiles in checkerboard pattern) with chairs, umbrella. Romanesque with arched windows, red, white, and green awning. Comes with chef with mustache. The Elec-Bricks Shop is the place to get the latest in LEGO gadgetry. Lots of clear display cases. Accessories include 2x #30089 cameras, 1x 30148 movie camera, 2x 62698 laptop, 2x 3692b walkie-talkies, 1x 30304 high tech binoculars, 1x #4360 high tech camera, 1x 30035 scanner, and 1x 4479 metal detector. Vendor fig. Phred, I know this is a bit wordy, but I wanted to give some details. Abbreviate as needed to fit the document' s format. Thanks again for submitting these for me. - M'Kyuun