Brick Miner

i like idea of a fantasy based castle line... with reanimated skeletons and other fantasy based creature... it's the prefect concept and direction for a medieval based theme. but based on the preliminary photos of the dwarf

My favorite part of this positive report is that bionicle isn't mentioned. LEGO needs to focus on brick and plate sets... preferable in SYSTEM scale. i also love hearing that an original LEGO concept based theme, like AR was a success. this gives us hope for other "high concept" themes created by LEGO that don't rely on outside media for support, like spongebob and batman. personally, i think LEGO will benefit in the long-run from having solid themes that aren't successful based on the success of outside trends. i really liked the AR in concept and execution, castle 2007 and MM are good in concept but falling short in execution. although, even the later two have potential to be great LEGO-owned properties. - BM

wow, im surprised to read so many replies regarding SW. so i guess this classifies as one of my LEGO surprises :-D i guess, in a way, i was surprised too with SW, but for me it was very negative experience, and i wouldn't consider myself being "surprised" technically. i felt more like, "well, LEGO finally sold out. that's the end, im done." plus two of my three favorite themes of the time had ended to make room for the license (pirates, western). fittingly, my last year for collecting LEGO was 1998 (until coming back in 2005, to my current collecting wave, of course). however, all that aside, i think my biggest surprised in LEGO came when i was very young. especially in my "LEGO early years" of 1989-1991. LEGO seemed to be introducing new parts all the time. i remember the pirates line introduced a lot of new pieces, and also revolutionizing the minifig face. i also remember specific other examples, like this set... let me explain, see this set introduced me to this piece... i was really shocked... i guess, as a kid, i felt like LEGO had been around for like hundreds of years, and the pieces they had in production were staples in the SYSTEM building, and the variety of pieces offered was unalterable. almost like the LEGO company had created SYSTEM all at once, and never ment for it to change. and this specific set made me realize that the LEGO SYSTEM was ever-changing, and new pieces would emerge all the time. needless to say, it was quite an epiphany. id say that was my biggest LEGO surprise... an enlightenment that the LEGO SYSTEM could change and add new elements as it needed. with todays product this almost seems ridiculous to concieve, as new elements are coming out each quarter. but again, as a kid, i had no idea that LEGO was so new and has always been evolving, ever since it's begining. - BM

don't forget 67?? for western :-P and yes, this is true... and the bigger the 2 later numbers in the 4 digit set number, the bigger the set. this even holds true today... when LEGO releases a run the bigger the number the bigger the set. for example the 2007 aquaradiers sets... 7770, 7771, 7772, 7773, 7774, 7775, and 7776. same for 2007 castle, etc.. back in the 90's i think LEGO attempted to leave space in the middle of the runs, so that they could then come back to the theme, and fill in the set numbers, so that the set's piece count would still increase in size with set number. looking at a theme that spand many years, like pirates, this becomes very evident. today, i don't think LEGO is considering theme longivity, so they aren't looking to fill the set number like they did in the 90's. consiquently, they aren't leaving space between numbers. this is a real shame, as i think we need some theme longivity. so in a way, the set number do represent a lot about how the LEGO company works, especially when looking in retrospect. - BM

thanks hobbes... now we have some better insight into "post cargo"and these descriptions sound much better to me... even if we don't get a post office, im sure if we get a mail car, then we will get a mailbox in some fashion, and also some kind of postal worker. that is all i need, the specialty pieces, from there i can always construct my own post office if i want one ;-) i like this quite a bit actually :'-) ------------------------------------------------ oh, and thanks to everyone who provided feedback on the mailbox colors. i had no idea they came in so many shades (me being so UScentric, of course *wacko* ). i guess im being very selfish in wanting LEGO to make the mail boxes in blue :-$ - BM

i agree... im not reading "post cargo" as a post office. but perhaps the confusion is a result of a bad translation to english ??? maybe ???in any case, i read "post cargo" as postal cargo for a plane (like how the harbour sub-theme had the container stacker 7992 to support the bigger 7994). and if that is true, it could lead to a post office later. but right now, it looks like we have another expansion to the airport sub-theme of city. ------------------------------------------------ man, would i love a mail box though. but this brings up an interesting question that has been killin me for sometime. what color of mail boxes do european countries have ??? ours (here in the states) are blue, and these yellow and white ones LEGO produces don't suite me. what colors do everyone else have ??? ------------------------------------------------ also, i agree with glyman, and am a bit surprised by the reaction to this list. i would love to see a bank, etc... before two (two ?????????) cargo planes. - BM

that first image is one of the coolest LEGO shots EVER !!! and it didn't even require any photo editing !!! - BM

hey grayner, this is an excellent history based follow-up release to your Adventurer's MOC line. i really like your MOCs, and love the fact that you try to mimick the official look of LEGO products. as you probably know, this style of MOCing has a special place in my heart *wub* you captured the look of this line perfectly too... there are a lot of random, and seemingly strange, color choices - exactly as LEGO would have done !!! the figs seem appropriate too - i like how the civilians are nearly warrior like. seems almost how LEGO would have handled non-conflict oriented characters, like townspeople. great job - BM

so this will be your premier WW MOC on EB, if im not mistaken, P.after starting that "new ideas for WW sets" thread, this is a long time coming. nice *y* can't wait to see it !!! - BM

this looks like a fun contest *y* i'll be excited to see the entries and be a judge. - BM

ya, that's the kind of feel i was thinking (scary as it is :'-( ). hmmmm... i don't know, here in the states there was a cartoon about 15 years ago that handled the topic of eco-friendly good-guys vs. the toxic pollution bad-guys, called Captain Planet. i think this topic can be handled in an appropriate mannor for children. Captain Planet pulled it off in a saturday morning cartoon !!!again, it just has to be done right. though, your right, LEGO is all about that technic rubber cannon (seen in almost all conflict oriented themes) these days. and having a cannon take down a factory is probably not a good idea... especially if its a nuclear plant, hmmm... personally, i was thinking more like the adventurers... where the factories are obscale courses of traps, set up by the villians. sure this take on the theme isn't going to appeal to the common AFOL, but it would produce adequte and abundant pieces to build factories and power plants for our citys... that's all we would really need. ya, i'd love to see some factory building come up, mainly to give me some techniques since we have such limited elements for this theme right now. i could see a lot of space "greeble" used, which is a technique i am not too familiar with.- BM

right, thats why i proposed that the "factory" be the bad guys, and the "green" be the good guys... only the theme would be dominated by the bad guys, similar to pirates.i don't know, i think it would work... this theme would most likely have to be based more on fantasy than reality anyway... i think the theme might end up feeling like rock raiders, with mutant pollution monsters and minifigs. what about that angle ??? -------------------------------------------------- in any case, i did some searching on brickshelf for "factory" and "industry" inspired MOCs, and unless im blind i didn't see much. that leads me to believe this is an unexplored theme (dare i say original concept) to LEGO building. or there is little interest, or... and this is the biggest problem for me, lack of pieces. i think these theme would be hard to MOC with the elements we have available now... these would really need to be a theme LEGO offered, for me to even attempt making my own creations. i'd love to see more elements like this: - BrickMiner

ya, i was thinking of some of the key minifigs being like the characters from the springfield nuclear plant.a mr. burns type character would be the suit "leader." i also think that LEGO would have to plan this theme just right to get away with it... i think having it be a very character/emotion based theme would be the way to go. this theme might almost be like "pirates" in that it would be a theme based on the "bad guys" and the "good guys" play only a supporting role. in this case it would be the environment friendly agents instead of the imperial soldiers. im picturing the industry players with an orange color theme, and the environment players in green (obviously :-D ). if LEGO really wanted to take this theme far, the factories could have mutants, etc... since they are all about man vs. non-man conflict themes. then the sets could be set up like the adventurers, and have obstacles within the factories for the heroes to escape from (ala falling chemical silos, etc..). however, i think this theme would be best if it didn't stray too far from the true city theme... just big ugly monstrous pollution factories *y* - BM

:-D i like the top of the totem poll. the use of the banana is funny. - BM

i've currently become really interested in city building. this mainly comes from my passion for architecture, and in the past my only outlet for the creative interest has been drawing architecture in the panels of my comic book stories and SIMCITY (yes, there is one computer/video game i do love) !!! though commerical towers are my main interest in architecture, one of my favorite things about building cities im SIMCITY where the huge and nasty polluting giants of the industrial age, "dirty industry." anyone who has driven on the interstates on east side of chicago knows and has seen the giant pollution factories. yes, they are dirty and an evil in the world, but their awe-inspiring (and unique) charcter is unmatched in an urban landscape. now bringing this all back to my currect hobby, LEGO... i think it would be fun to see a new city sub-theme along these lines. something like "industry" or it could be called whatever (i would propose the term "factory" but LEGO already has that one in use). some giant polluting set could be the power plants (needed for every growing city): coal plant, oil plant, gas plant. also since LEGO likes vehicle based sets, you could have a car factory with a few cars in it. this set would be a great add on to the RC frieght train *y* other set ideas might be metal processing plants: steel aluminum, etc... and chemical factories. also, this idea could even be made into a conflict based city sub-theme, and have the "green" friendly government agents (the good guys) make an appearance >:-) i'd love it... plus this theme would solve LEGOtown's energy crisis :-D what are your thoughts ??? - BrickMiner

hmm... i like the mine entrance. i don't think "keep out" necessarily fits this MOC. i think 2x2 is the correct proportions for a saguaro. 1x1 would be far too small. what bothers me about the cactus is that this MOC is going for super-realism. that cactus looks far too abstract comparably.it is hard to make a cactus, it seems most people thought my cartoony cactus was disproportioned aswell. its too bad LEGO never offered any "arm" pieces. - Brick Miner

:-D it's coming... i still have to edit the photos now that they are taken ;-) - BM

oh, i really like this avatar... ;-) -------------------------------------------------- here is the full image of my avatar: a saloon gambler and card shark of the streets of LEGOREDO. - BM

good attempt, Sir !!! as stagecoaches are VERY hard. though, i think the yellow and red don't converge all that well. and the blue doors add to the color imbalance. i wish i had more constructive input/suggestions for you, but i think the general opinion is that my first attempt at a stagecoach was a failure. so i don't feel justified in giving any suggestions. i really don't have any good answers myself for solving the shape of a western style coach... i like said, it's tough. yes, it does seem like this is the best technique seen, doesn't it.is TheBrickster credited with originating this 8-| - BM

:-D :-D :-D ;-) - BM

don't you think an oriental dragon head would be a weird find, buried in the mountains of the american west ??? :-P - BM

Nadroj, this is an excellent first WW MOC !!! i like the use of a clear baseplate... its real effective. and the many faceted overall shape of the mountain/building is very nice, im especilly fond of the upper landscaping, and how it plays against the man-made structures. oh, and the mine enterance is very nice... it looks much better than the mine enterance of 6761 ;-) i do think the cactus is a little questionable. and 007 bring up a good point... maybe the 1x2 chrome gold tiles (though expensive off of BL) would be a better choice ??? and my personally preference permits me from liking the verticle brown plates that hold up the water sluice and the carved flat sides of the MOC. all-in-all very nice *y* - BM

hey B, this is definitely my most favorite of your MOCs... i can honestly say, if this were an official set, i would buy it, for sure. no questions. i think the overall shape is the most noteworthy item. it's balanced perfectly. it's also placed nicely on the baseplate, and has just the right number of peaks and platforms to create the overall shape. i think if it were an official set it could benefit from some "unique" characters to accompany the generic skeleton. perhaps a "card creeper" type character. i would love to see an interior added to this. the only thing i may be missing is a lack of accent color... though the blue of the water and green bushes add enough. but i imagine that once the green glowing color is removed from the windows this set might seem a little "dark." the orange pumpkin is a nice touch though, and does help. id like to see orange be the accent color here. unfortunately, orange isn't a popular color for molds like windows, etc. *here im gonna get picky (remember though, i love this MOC, it's a 5 starrer ;-) ) i see that the window panes and shutters are blue and green, i think this might be a strange choice because the only other blue that appears is the water, and the only other green is the bushes... this makes me want to associate blue with water, and green with bushes, but i can't, because of the window colors. again, i would love to see LEGO release this set, and make some orange window panes, then i think light gray shutters would look nice. all-in-all a great MOC, this is the gem of the gravestone collection. - BM

im sure LEGO would have just made a sticker for the 1x4x5 window. thats what i would do ;-) you could also try some 1x2x2 transparent panels (x4), though you wouldn't get the nice solid trim your looking for. the trim would end up being transparent also :-/ - BM

i like these definitions *y* the only thing i would add is that with the "production rare" pieces there need to be another division for "production rare" pieces that are in discontinued colors, like light gray, dark gray, or brown. those are production pieces, never to be produced again >:-( -------------------------------------------------- i also would love a complete list of "shouldn't exist" rare pieces. but compliling somthing like that would be nearly impossible, id bet. - BM