blueandwhite

Pricing United States $ 249.99 United Kingdom £ 166.35 Central Europe € 229.99 Canada $ 349.99 Yikes! There's just nothing that screams "must have" about this set. It's got a decent variety of bricks but the set itself is rather bland. After tax this set will be around $400 (CDN) which is far too rich for my blood. There's just nothing here that really stands out for me. It's a nice set, but so are the majority of sets that we're forced to leave on the shelf. Pass.

I'm sorry, but I think you're being a tad hard on Peppermint M. Her suggestions were simply a pragmatic preventative measure to this problem. Sure, a watermark won't stop or negate all of this plagiarism, but to dismiss the idea as simply 'missing the point' is a bit harsh. Honestly, the internet is rampant with illicit theft. A watermark won't prevent theft but it certainly goes a long way in stripping the theif of any preceived credibility. I just don't see anything wrong with Peppermint M's suggestions. The harsh reality of this is that internet theft isn't going to stop. As people have already mentioned; these theives will simply find a new site to host their stolen images. A watermark isn't a solution, but it is better than doing nothing. Plagiarism is not a new phenomenon and it isn't going away anytime soon. As an artist, it only makes sense to do everything in your power to prevent image theft if it concerns you so much. By all means, complain to LEGO but don't be so quick to dismiss watermarking.

This colour scheme works quite well. Generally most soft colours (tan, sand green, pink, sand red, sand blue) make for excellent tudoring because they contrast well against the darker brown or black timber frames of a medieval building. The cottage itself is quite striking and would fit well in any LEGO village. Good work.

Martin, as an executive surely you appreciate that the firm or group that you work for must adhere to a strict set of legal standards. LEGO was simply sending out a standard form letter in order to protect its corporate interests. I don't want to belittle you, but very few ideas are particularly original. In this respect, your (or anybody else's) suggestions to LEGO are more of a liability than anything else. What LEGO doesn't want is for a fan to preceive that they were the catylist for the development of a new theme or idea when in all likelihood the idea is so derivative that it has been thrown around by the designers as well. Honestly, if LEGO produced a Steampunk theme alot of AFOLs would undoubtedly claim to be a driving force behind it despite the very idea being a huge staple in popular fiction. The same could be said of a Roman theme or any number of licences LEGO inevitably decides to persue. If LEGO were to thank you for your suggestions, it would be tantamount to giving you credit for any future line. From a legal standpoint, this thank you letter would be something of a smoking gun if you were to bring legal action against LEGO for the creation of a specific line. Simply put; LEGO needs to be extremely careful when consulting fans for their ideas. This is why they've gone to such great lengths with the Ambassador program. There are certainly ways for fans to bring their ideas to the LEGO group, however a direct letter isn't one of them.

This is a bit like comparing apples to oranges (assuming you like both). Both lines are wonderful, but they are incredibly different too. Unfortunately, most of the sets don't mix well together. Certainly there are some sets that bridge well between the two lines (the creator houses are a perfect example), however I don't find that the two lines as a whole mix particularly well. The modular buildings were obviously built with older (wealthier) fans in mind. The sheer cost and size of these sets makes them far too exotic for many purchasers. That being said; the modular sets are incredibly beautiful! The City sets are great for variety and price, and offer alot of great models. The real catch is that they have a very different aesthetic that doesn't work particularly well with the modular sets. Both are great, but at the end of the day they don't look great together (IMO). I prefer the modular sets simply because they are more in tune with what I find interesting as a MOCer. I've always loved the idea of building fully-realized structures (complete interiors and exteriors). The modular line fits well with that vision.

Depends on the set. I certainly won't purchase a $60+ set simply to nab a couple of must-have minifigs. If anything, I'm more interested in the parts selection. A good minifig is a great finishing touch to a masterful MOC, but the bricks are where it's really at. A perfect set (Market Village) has an essential combination of excellent figs and amazing parts at a good price.

For me the female peasant (maiden) is the best figure for 2008. In a line that suffers a serious shortage of female minifigs, she is really appreciated. The Jester was a close second, but for overall versatility I chose the maiden over the clown.

It will be very interesting to see what happens to the folder "views" when (if) this gets sorted out. Some of the most popular folders had 250,000+ views making them easy to find by simply searching using the most popular tool. If the folder views are lost then finding some great MOCs could be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack .

Modular design is always a great thing IMO. For fans who don't do alot of MOCing, modular set design allows such individuals to gradually build their collection into something bigger. I had hoped that when the new Castle sets came out that we would have seen some modular add-ons for the current castle, but it never came to fruition.

Great work! I'm not a big fan of AFOL modular buildings, simply because they rarely live up to the standards set by the cafe corner or green grocer. Simply put; many of these MOCs seem to be too generic and look rather bland against the original sets. Your store has the opposite effect! This store just jumps out (in a good way). It fits seemlessly between the grocer and cafe corner and the detailing is wonderful. This just feels like a natural addition to an already lively street scene. I am truly impressed.

A great idea, but I also like the solutions AFOLs come up with to get around problems like this. This is one brick that almost seems to be too good for its own good.

I'm happy with the current Castle line. We really have all the elements (bricks and minifig accessories) needed to make LOTR material on our own. A Hobbit/LOTR line doesn't really add much IMO.

I'm surprised that so many people are so down on the Book. Sure it's oversized, but then again that can be said of many other accessories too. Still, as a castle fan my favourite minifig accessory has to be this: There aren't really any accessories I would want to label the "worst" simply because what makes an accessory great is context. Given the appropriate context, almost any accessory is great.

LEGO isn't for everybody. If you feel that you've outgrown the hobby, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. At the end of the day, YOU have to be the one who wants to participate in this hobby. There is no point asking others for reasons to continue with LEGO. If at some point in your life you feel like giving LEGO another go, then that's wonderful. If not; that's ok too . One suggestion though; don't sell your current collection. Many fans do this only to regret it many years later. That which was easily purchased new is often hard to come buy and five times as expensive the second time around. Yearning for that favourite set that you sold off at a garage sale only to find out that it goes for $200-400 on ebay is not a happy experience. Good luck on whatever you decide. I'm sure you'll always be welcome here should your interest in LEGO be rekindled.

Sub-themes are very different from the development of completely independant (and short lived themes). The Castle line may have a number of different sub-themes or factions, yet all of them fit well together as a coherent grouping. The same can be said for Town, Space and Pirates. The orphan themes (themes that only last a few years) are a very different animal. Look at the number of Castle, Space or Town MOCs we see being produced by AFOLs. Those groups have maintained a very strong and loyal fanbase. This is most certainly in part owing to the longevity of those themes. Compare that to shortlived orphan themes like Rock Raiders, Ninja or more recently Dino Attack. While there certainly are a few great MOCs in these themes, their popularity is far outstripped by longer running themes. Product diversity is an absolute necessity for LEGO, however product continuity is equally important in developing a long-term fanbase. The current Castle line has done an admirable job diversifying while staying within the boundries of the theme. Short-lived themes seem to lack the same kind of fan appeal. Moreover, a one or two year line often suffers a lack of diversity when it comes to theme-specific elements (torsos, minifig accessories, printed elements etc.). What is worse still is that fans of these themes are quickly forced to the inflated prices of the secondary market as their theme of choice is discontinued. This makes building on a larger scale prohibitive for most fans of these themes as very few people have the capital to acquire large quantities of that theme in a short span of time. A perfect modern example is the Vikings line. When the line was first released fans clamoured to these sets. Several wonderful Viking MOCs were featured on Brickshelf. Now that the theme has been discontinued we see far fewer of these MOCs. Many children may have only received one or two of these sets. Ultimately, the theme's biggest shortcoming may be its lack of longevity. At this point I don't have alot of faith when it comes to offshoot themes. Themes like this come and go. A few fans get excited and collect the sets in large multiples. Those on a budget pick up a few sets but ultimately give up on the theme as it is discontinued almost as quickly as it was introduced. A few years later the occasional vignette shows up on brickshelf and fans move on to the next orphan theme. Right now I'll probably stick to Castle if only because I can be reasonably comfortable in knowing that the theme will probably be around in the future.

For me the Green Grocer was the best. I'm a castle fan at heart, and I loved the Medieval Market Village but the build quality of the Green Grocer was without equal this year. That set was simply awe-inspiring. I don't feel qualified to select a "worst" set for 2008 simply because if a set looks uninspired or bland I try to avoid purchasing it.

I hope not. It's not that I don't think that Greeks or Romans aren't interesting; it's just that producing too many overlapping themes could have a negative impact on sales. I just don't see a Greek/Roman line doing that well with the existing Castle line. One trend I've never been fond of is the introduction of short-lived themes which end up diluting LEGO's core brands. I feel that this was one of LEGO's biggest mistakes in the 1990s and it's not something I'd like to see repeated today. Currently LEGO is flying high with Town, Castle, Pirates and Space er ... Star Wars. While a few offshoots never hurt, I think that these lines can be damaging to potential long-term LEGO fans who find out that their favourite lines have been discontinued a few years later. Johnny Thunder, Western, Ninja, Vikings, Rock Raiders, Alpha Team, Aquanauts, countless Space themes, and until this year; Pirates have all developed a loyal following only to be dropped by LEGO. I can imagine that a child who spends 2-3 years collecting a theme only to find out that it has been discontinued forever would be incredibly frustrated. The biggest thing that made LEGO work in the 80s to early 90s was the continuity of theme. For years Castle, Town, Pirate and Space fans knew that their favourite themes would offer new goodies in the coming calender year. All of that changed in the 90s when LEGO started throwing in short-lived experimental themes. I fear that this is what a Greek/Roman theme would end up being.

I'm probably going to keep a wrap on it until the summer. It's been a very challenging, yet pleasurable build.

Great work on the interior buildings! I really love how much this MOC has improved since you first started showing us almost a year ago. I've been working on a similar sized castle now for about 2 years, so I know how much time can be invested into something like this. The cost alone is quite daunting. Congratulations on a great MOC and good luck with the Victory! I look forward to seeing her as she develops.

Each to their own is exactly right. We all have our own opinions on the castle line. That being said, is it really that inappropriate to state that you aren't a fan of the line or that you don't think the sets look very good? I mean if you as an AFOL have the right to state that each and every fantasy set is perfect, shouldn't somebody else have the right to express their opinion on the matter? Another thing; purchasing classic castle sets is cost prohibitive. Most of those sets have been out of production for over 15 years. Some have been out of production for a quarter of a century. To tell somebody who isn't happy with the current state of castle to suck it up and purchase old sets at an inflated price is hardly a solution for those fans who favour a more conventional castle theme. I'm certainly not as opposed to the current line as some (I feel that we've had a pretty healthy balance between conventional themes and fantasy), but I don't feel that censoring the opinions of those who feel differently is appropriate either. If "normal castle" as boring as you've suggested, then why did LEGO produce the Market Village in the first place? It would seem to me that there is some interest in conventional castle themes afterall.

We'll have to disagree on this one. While this MOC isn't my favourite, I certainly disagree with the notion that large MOCs are rarely impressive. I can think of just as many bohemoth MOCs that are every bit as impressive as their smaller counterparts. ...and if it's ever finished: I find alot of AFOLs suggest that size is a way of compensating for average building abilities. Talent has nothing to do with MOC size. There are a number of builders who build on a very large skill who are every bit as talented as those who build on a medium or small scale. Having an unlimited budget doesn't mean that you can create a great MOC. For me, a large MOC that is well-built is doubly impressive not only for its size; but also for its execution. This is something that is unique to a large MOC.

For the sake of interest, let's turn this question around. Would you purchase a new forestmen theme if they were living in a forest, and using bows as weapons? In all seriousness, I think it would depend on the nature of the line. I could easily see an "elf" line becoming far too exotic for the non-fantasy fan. For me, the orks and skeletons are too exotic whilethe dwarves have many useful bits. My biggest concern with an elf line is that the figs would be too LOTR, with exotic heads and torsos that have patterns that are simply too fantastical to be considered conventional medieval fare. Also; call me nostalgic but I'd love to see the return of the forestmen's cap in dark red and dark green. I think it has to be one of the coolest hats LEGO ever produced and I would really like to see its return. In a Robin Hood/Forestmen themed line I definitely could envision the return of this piece, however I doubt we'd see any of these caps with a line of elves. I understand that there are some really hardcore fantasy fans out there, but I still feel that LEGO needs to tread carefully to balance the interests of both sides. Right now fantasy fans are riding high with three distinct factions (75% of the current castle line is fantasy based), whereas those of us who have an interest in a non-fantasy castle theme have but a single faction. My concern is that an elf line would tip the scales even further away from my interests to a point were it becomes prohibitive to invest in castle sets. By keeping things balanced, LEGO ensures sales on both sides of the fence.

If we're getting a fire station, I'm a bit disappointed. If only because I feel that this is something that is better left to fan MOCs. I was actually hoping for a more obscure city building like a post office or even a pub. Also, if it's a fire station a 32x32 footprint seems a bit small. Hope this doesn't end up being too big (ie. too expensive), as I've collected the first two in the series and I don't want to bail out on this one because of cost.

These are fantastic! Allthough I'm not American so I don't really understand the appeal of NASCAR, these are beautiful little cars. The use of old official stickers to create sponser logos is absolutely brilliant. I love the absolute purity of these MOCs.

While I have always had a preference for the more conventional castle sets of the 80s, I certainly understand the overwhelming appeal of the fantasy line. LEGO has been pretty savy when it comes to reading the interests of young builders. The reality is that LEGO has done an admirable job of catoring to both camps with its current castle line. For persons like myself the Crownies and the Market Village provide traditional medieval fare, complete with peasants and armoured knights. On the other hand, fantasy fans have a rich selection of dwarves, orks, and skeletons to choose from. While I would personally prefer a line devoid of any fantasy elements, I am very greatful for the current line. The Crown Knights are probably the most diverse and interesting faction to be produced since the mid 80s. That being said; I'm hoping that LEGO doesn't do elves next year. For me the current castle line is already quite fantasy-heavy and I really don't have alot interest in those types of sets. A line of elves would undoubtedly mean that we would see even fewer human figs as we already have skeletons, orks, and dwarves in the mix. I understand that many folk are looking for faerie folk, but such a move would only push me further away from the castle theme. If anything, I'm hoping for a resurrection of the forestmen theme with a wider variety of outlaws and bandits.