Cwetqo

New theme will be called "girls". New figures will be slightly taller (think toy story) and not minifig based. I've also seen new VW van. Its very smooth design with almost no studs visible. Wheels used seems to be the same as on beetle, with same 4x4 silver caps. I didnt remember the colour, but its most likely two colour design (maybe dark red and tan, but I really dont know for sure, since I've seen it for just short time). Its nicely done, but its not something I would buy. The problem is not with lego design but with the fact that original design is just a large box.

This picture is misleading: It shows switch and rail crossing and AFAIK there arent any in the box.

I've seen them all in person on itLUG exhibition in Cavallino, Venice and I was truly impresed. There was also McLaren, which was mentioned just as WIP in first post ofthis theme (maybe not 100% finished, but close to it).

The one with police station? Or is it last years? Which shop was that?

I was the first one to break news about Pharaos Quest, long time before it was public. At the same time there was also information about "Indian Quest". So, you wishes may come true.

How about droid factory from epII? With assembly line and droids in various assembly phases, Anakin and Padme.

Ahh, Mercedes (or, in our country Puch) G-class. I had the privilege to drive G55AMG once and it was unforgetting. It has 3 tons and will outrun porsche 911 in 0-100km/h acceleration (and consume 40l/100km while doing so :) ) However, I'am afraid that it is not likely Lego will make it.

I somehow hoped that 8070 would be Mercedes SLS replica (before we've seen the pictures). Too bad that it's not, because it's very similar. They would just have to make the doors differently (now it's more similar to older SLR). Otherwise, I think it's time for good formula 1 car and this is great opportunity to make it. I dont care for any new trucks because they are all the same with these new panels (8258, 8109, 8041, 8292, 8052)

I think that you drive it too fast thru tose bends. This train is really high and it does not do curves very well.

I was also at Munich store (Grogall, maybe we saw each other :) ). There were several new sets, but not even close to all. I saw Republic Frigate, Imperial V-wing and Dathomir Speeder (not 100% sure). No sign of Ewok Atack (which I would buy) or new MF. To bad, because otherwise they had all 2H sets from other themes, except maybe Alien Attack (dont remember, It was a quick visit during Laser 2011 fair)

Wrong, it's like "peterab" said: speed of motor is controled with PWM. Simplest explanation is that electronics inside PF reciver (or LiPo Battery) turns the motor on and off very fast. Let's say that you want 25% power: electronics will turn motor on and off in such rate thet it will be 25% of time turned on and 75% turned of. Motor will of course not stop because all of this is happening very fast, but will run at 25% speed. This cold be noticed if you run motor at low speed and you will hear strange noise or humming (I dont know exact word). Battery usage will be depending on the speed of the train (because the current is also depending on the time the motor is on, in this case 25%) It's the same for LiPo battery, which already has builit in electronic for charging and they just added PWM control for speed. 9V system has completely different type of regulation, with several outputs from the transformer (yes, it's not linear, you could easily measure this with voltmeter), which you change by turning the knob.

I think that we can forget about separate cars or engines. After financial problems in the beginning of previous decade LLG introduced new set policy, which limits the number of different sets and or bricks each year. And with all those themes there really isn't any space left for separate cars. A good idea might train car set similar to santa fe cars, or hobby train set (with more normal colurs) , that is one set, from wich you could mage complete range of cars. Santa Fe manage to have five cars from two sets, and with few additional bricks I'm sure that all could be squeezed into one set. But I personally am even not that intererested in train cars or engines right now. We've had really A LOT of trains in last few years (Emerald Niht, Cargo Train, Passenger Train, Harry Potter Train, Toy Story train, Maersk Train, new "service" cargo train, so there really is something for every taste. What I would like is some new trackside structures. So far we had just (poor) level crossing and train stop (I can not call it station because its so small). We really need propes train staion (maybe even "UCS" type - with 10XXX number), locomotive shed, cargo loading station etc... Signals and Ligts packs would be also welcome, not to even mention motorized switches. And next years winter set could also be train station (with a rerelease of 10173 mybe - if they could do it with Maers ship, why not with Holiday train.

Fire Brigade will surely be there until september and most likely even longer, until nex spring or even later. Green grocer just disapeared around half year ago, almost after 3 years on market, Cafe Corner was also present for two and a half years, so I expect similar for Fire Brigade. Ify you want to go modular then of course start with Fire Brigade, even if its not your favorite set. Believe me, you will be sorry if you dont get it after its gone, because prices will just rise. I wil never forget myself for not getting Market street (only one which I dont have). You will have at least one year to get Grand Emporium and at least two years for Pet Shop.

10218 Pet shop would be great choice. Its realistic and the price is just right. If you dont want modular set then 7641 city corner and 8404 transport center would also be great, but somehow more vehicle oriented option. Creator houses are also great, but I dont like current ones. If you will wait a few weeks there will be new, more realistic white creator house and great lighthouse. I had the same situation with my wife and so far she liked modulars the most (she got and built all of them) and also all previous creator houses (all but this brown one which is ugly).

Nice review, but man, you really need to get yourself decent camera.

That would be cool. However, I think that we will just get europe/us ratio of posters. :) Just look at this topic: all which have countr set to eurpo think that they are too expensive, and all which are from US say that they are not. Up until now I didnt even know that those are so cheap in US. If there is near 1:1 brick per dollar ratio between PoTC and City, Castle and other "ordinary" sets, then PoTC are of course reall y great value. Cool minifigs, rare colours and a lot of useful new parts: it beats the hell out of any new City sets with its basic colours, bland minifogs and common parts (for example: marina).

What bothers me is not difference between US and european prices (we'v learned to live with it), but smaller premium for licensed sets. Example. Satellite Launch pad, 165pcs US: 20 usd Europe: 17 euro (24 usd) Isla Muerta, 152pcs US: 20 usd Europe: 27 euro (38 usd) So, in US there is virtually no price premium for this set over comparable city set, but in europe we pay 37% more (and nearly 100% more than they pay in US). Please know that when discussing price premiums and "disney" tax. (I also checked prices for other themes and it's almost always 1usd=1euro, except SW and Harry Potter, which show the same steep price increase as PoTC).

I think its around 25-30 eur, maybe 35... I also checked BL price and its around 30 euro average (MISB), so its really not popular.

It was heavily discounted for most of the time and I still see copies of it in in some stores, after 5 years. I also heard from one retailer that their supplier still has large quantites of it, for really low prices, bu no one wants it. I hope that it will be better with this mother ship (I personally did not want to buy Striking Venom for 20 euro, but would give at least 40euro for mother ship, so for me its much better)

I really loved this. I got it in venice and assembled it on a boat on the way home: This was my first space set. I was very impressed with little spacemen. My fisrt and for long-long time onyl technic set. I also very much loved this one: And this was at the end of my pre-dark-age era, but I was neverthelss impresse with new faces, animal, palm leaves and other new stuff.

I would put Pet shop next to CC (because of similar line of roof) and apartment building between GG and FB (because of its blocky shape).

For me, 2007 version is better. Everything looks bigger and more serios and it gives you feel that yo've got more for your money (if I'm correct price is the same for both). In old one I like almost everything: blue/red colour combination, crane, truck, ships hull (ok, it could be a little smaller, but proportions are ok. In new one I like truck (even more then in 2007 one) and inclusion of fisherman. I dislike ships hull (it looks to long and too narrow) and also it's colour, even if know that coulour must be one of basic ones and not too dull). Colour combination of building and crane is also not working for me and those old style door dont help either. For me this looks like one more entry in "will buy if discount will be 50% or more" category. Too bad for lost oportunity.

Mothership has 24 of: Light Bluish Gray Slope, Curved 2 x 4 x 2/3 No Studs with Bottom Tubes which is highly wanted for making Emerald night Coaches or other train stuff. A few days ago there were just a few on BL and now it seems situation is getting better. It also has full circle of Indinana Jones narrow gauge rails (although in black), 24 pcs of trans blue 1x4 tiles and a lot of grey bricks, so, I will probably just buy it for parts or mod it somehow to use just center part as flying saucer.

That's partially correct, but people are still buying (expensive) new sets, they just dont want old ones so much as they did a few years ago. For example: I was watching auction fo r8448 Super Street sensation end with price just 45 euro, but on the other newer version (8070 Supercar) is selling very well for 109 euro, even if its a lot smaller and simpler and it has 250 psc less.

This is also hapening with technic and even some pirates sets. Some really good sets from past few had turned people form buying older sets. There was really a lot of demand for older sets a few years ago when a lot of people had discovered E-bay and bricklink and wanted to buy all sets which they could not afford in their younger years, but now I think that they got what thea wanted and demand is not so high. When I got back to Lego a few years ago some good sets like 8448 and 8466 were going for more than 100 euro and now those same sets are going for 50 euro or even less. It's different for MISB sets, but If you want set to actually assmeble it there are a lot really good preserved used sets for much less money.