Jump to content

AFOLguy1970

Eurobricks Counts
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,338

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by AFOLguy1970

  1. AFOLguy1970
    Hard to determine whether this is a good price considering that a lot of them are trans blue round 1x1's. Otherwise, it looks nice, but I will probably pass. Still think they should have gone with the Tram.
  2. AFOLguy1970
    There is only one reason why I am not fond of Market Street's existence. I really like Dutch gables and the type of architecture you would find in Amsterdam, especially those canal houses. It would be great to have a modular in this style, but just one problem. With MS, they have technically already made one, or at least something close to it. Buying one on the aftermarket would require me having months on end of no life in order to save up for one. Personally, I would love to have two canal houses done in the style of Pet Shop, but I can hear the criticism already of how it would clash with other modulars.
  3. AFOLguy1970
    Is this a re release of the LOTR/Hobbit eagle mold? If so, then yes that is one big eagle. Better hold on tight to that baby..........
  4. AFOLguy1970
    My guess for a front runner would be the pop up book due to the uniqueness of it and the appeal it could also have with kids. I would really like to have the Christmas Story house, but its size and seasonal aspect could be a problem. With the timing of the review decision and announcement, they would not have much time to tweek the design and get it on the shelves before Christmas, which would be the most (only?) ideal time for its release, and it would be a long wait until the next year. It could also be seen as a competitor to the Winter Village release. Still, who would not want a light up leg lamp around the holidays? I suppose the good news is that it might not be too difficult to design/build it on your own if you really wanted one.
  5. AFOLguy1970
    I doubt next year will have anything to do with Art Deco. Variety seems to be a constant in the modular world. What you get one year will look far different that what there was last year. I would expect something in a completely different architectural style and color scheme. There is an observation that the style of the modulars has drifted more towards modern times. I do not necessarily think that locks us in the 1950s or even later for next year though. Where I live, most of the buildings from the 1960s and beyond are not really inspiring. The architecture is often more practical than it is meant to be attractive. I find most buildings to be very boxy, a lot like the city police stations and other similar structures. Most homes here are of the "cookie cutter" variety to add to the mundane effect. You have a lot of right angles (not counting rooflines) and not much else, especially with commercial architecture. There are some ultramodern structures that are interesting, but they tend to be quite large, such as downtown skyscrapers, buildings like the new World Trade Center transportation center in New York, etc. but i can not think of much beyond the 1950s that is going to look good or exciting on a 32x32 plate. Honestly, I am hoping the next one is going to be European and anything but modern, maybe something Baroque or Rococo. There are still a lot of styles out there that have yet to be presented in official Lego form.
  6. AFOLguy1970
    Excellent mod of my favorite modular! Still, nothing has managed to knock the Parisian Restaurant from first place in my modular rankings. It makes a great standalone structure for those who cannot afford more than one or two. Anyway, the additional floor does make it look more authentic. Nice job with the French doors also. Someday, I might try to supersize a modular, but for now, I will let ones like these be an inspiration!
  7. AFOLguy1970
    Looks amazing! I like the dominant black/white/greys in the build with a pinch of color here and there. It gives the building an interesting atmosphere. Also, using hinges to allow access to the interior works really well. The open floor plan is nice as well.
  8. AFOLguy1970
    Looks good. Cannot wait to see the finalized version! Funny thing is that I am currently watching Wheel of Fortune here in the states. There was a puzzle with the clue "Place" and the solution was DOWNTOWN DINER. Anyone else catch this?
  9. AFOLguy1970
    Truly an inspiring project! Now I really want a hotel.....Regardless of what future sets may come forth or what i may design for one, it will certainly be very little compared to this one. Fantastic details inside and out.
  10. AFOLguy1970
    Funny you mention that. I just completed the first two bags and am saving the rest for later. Looking at just the one story, I honestly thought, "Put a roof on it now, and it would be perfect!" Of course, you are right about the size. If they had left it a one story typical diner, it would not have been a full modular, and there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth to be sure. It almost feels like the other two floors are there mostly to put the piece count and size into modular range. Not to say that the upper floors are bad, I just prefer the classic look. I am willing to bet at least some people are going to cap it at the first floor and surround it by a parking lot to allow it to be a drive in diner. Also, after seeing some of the reviews where the Diner was used as a de facto corner building by placing a road or alley to the left, I am definitely going to do the same when I one day set up a town.
  11. AFOLguy1970
    Just got back from the Lego Store. It is about a 30 mile drive for me. Went in about noon with the full intention of purchasing Detective's Office and saving the Diner for a later in the year purchase. Of course, this is the one time I did not call ahead, and they had every modular except the DO Then, I spotted two Diners sitting on the shelf and grabbed one. Guess it ended up being a Day 1 purchase after all. Usually, they run out of the new modular before lunchtime, so it was quite unexpected. They did not have a display model in the front, so still have yet to see it in person. The store manager felt like they had enough to get through the day. There were a ton of Brick Banks as well.... The things I miss from the prior designer videos are (1) the presentation of new parts available in the set, and (2) the designer's motivations behind why they designed the set in the way that they did. I was wondering if the designer was an Elvis fan, or if they grew up near a diner they were fond of, if Miami Beach was a favorite travel destination, and how they chose the name "Jim". It is nice to learn about the designers themselves, but I would like to know how they personalized their build. We tend to get that more in previous videos. As for the car, it is not too bad. The only real critique I have is that it seems like they could have done better with the windshield. Of course, now that I think about it, it is kind of cruel to have the city's only parking meter exactly in the spot where you would have to wait to have your food brought out to your car.
  12. AFOLguy1970
    Interesting how they were thinking about doing a car dealership. Looks like they definitely wanted a vehicle in the build regardless of the chosen structure. Glad they did not go with the dealership since they are typically not found in city/town centers, at least not here.
  13. AFOLguy1970
    I would have to admit this is the closest chance we could reasonably have to getting an Aunt Beru. She is quite the homebody in the movies and you have to wonder if she has ever left the homestead since the prequels. They will probably never make the Lars Homestead because (1) most of the structure is actually below ground. The part we see above ground is mainly the entrance and (2) not a whole lot of action happens there-just ask Luke. The most action that ever happened there was actually offscreen and I do not think Lego wants to reenact what happened between the stormtroopers, Uncle Owen, and Aunt Beru. It is definitely going to be difficult to get her in a set. Actually, I just felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if she showed up at San Diego Comic Con and thousands of OT completionists cried out in terror
  14. AFOLguy1970
    Now that we know about the new Cantina release, something like that would go well with it, but maybe replace the bartender with another creature or even a Bith. Personally, I would like to see a UCS Cantina. Ideally, it would focus on the inside so that parts allotment would not have to go to a landspeeder, vaporator, Dewback, a prop vehicle that literally showed up for a few seconds, or anything else outside the structure. That way, they could focus on new aliens, which is what most people are really after. Honestly, the Cantina scene alone could warrant its very own collectible minifig series, but it will never happen. I would like to see Ponda Baba, Dr Evazan, the Tonnika sisters, Ithorian, and the wolf guy at the very least. Yeah, I can see something like that happening. A facepalm will be my first reaction when that happens.
  15. AFOLguy1970
    Yeah, I have to admit that all of you are really getting a bad deal, even when you figure value added tax or any other included taxes. The sandspeeder seems a little overpriced on our side, but there are other sets that are screaming ripoff much louder (looking at you, Cantina, most TLJ sets, battle packs at higher prices, etc.)
  16. AFOLguy1970
    Since this is the Town Forum, I will assume that means I choose from any set under this particular theme, otherwise it would be Saturn V hands down for me. In the case of Town, the Assembly Square would get my vote. It had a good variety of elements in it and took quite a while to build.
  17. AFOLguy1970
    I would really like for the Christmas Story house to make it. Its size could be a factor, but there are plenty of people who would want one. It is different than the WV line because of its size and more modular appearance. I see it a lot like the fishing store, it is somewhat modular and would blend in well with a town setting. If you remove the "snow" from the house, it could be a good year round set.
  18. AFOLguy1970
    Just saw the Cantina photo and my immediate reaction was disappointment. First, there is some vehicle I have never seen before, or at least do not remember seeing it. It seems to take a significant piece count from the set to build it, so less actual cantina. The sandtrooper is nice, but Wuher is the only figure really new here. It simply does not look like a $40 set. Even with the Disney/Star Wars factor, I just do not understand how they came up with the pricing. It is by and large inferior to the previous Cantina. The photo made me consider buying it, if only to expand the far better one that I thankfully have. I figured the extra sandtrooper and Wuher would be good as well as enlarging the cantina. Then, I saw the price and changed my mind very quickly. This is not the first time in recent years that a remake has been inferior to an earlier release. They did the same thing with the Desert Skiff. We lost Luke and Lando, both vital to the scene, and instead got Chewie, who is in several other sets. I dont know if it is just my imagination, but a lot of sets just seem lazy and dumbed down lately. Good thing is that it saves me money.
  19. AFOLguy1970
    I dont recall there ever being an early release for a modular, especially on anything from PR onwards. January 1 is a hard release date, which unfortunately means either ordering at midnight Eastern time on New Year's Eve or getting to the Lego Store well before opening. This is of course just for the people that have to have one that first week of January one way or the other. Fortunately, I can wait a little bit this time. It will not be like MF or the Saturn V where you have to be at the right place at the right time.
  20. AFOLguy1970
    Yeah, I am pretty sure Lego will be the last toy standing, and by that I mean the last tangible physical toy. Video games and anything else in the virtual universal is a whole different animal. Yet, I think there will still be a place for fidget spinners. As long as there are faculty meetings, doctor appointments, and flight delays, they will be needed.
  21. AFOLguy1970
    This is also assuming that they are only making the trip for the purpose of buying one thing. If there are multiple items involved, the drive/train ride is not too far, and possibly another reason or two for going exists, then it might be worth it. Several people on the boards have stated they wanted to buy multiple copies of the modulars to make larger ones, so it could be worth the effort for some to make the trip.
  22. AFOLguy1970
    Kind of surprising to me as well, since minifigures are not really the focus of these sets at all. They can enhance things and populate large setups, but they are not the main reason why the vast majority of us buy modulars. In fact, not only are the heads rehashes, but the torsos, legs, and hats/hair are typically not all that unique either. They are pretty much recycled from other sets. Even with the new one coming out, most of the minifig's features already exist in some form.
  23. AFOLguy1970
    Thanks to all who "placed" the DD next to other modulars for comparisons and ideas. This convinces me that I need to MOC a small park to place to the immediate left of the diner in order to preserve that corner curve to the left. If you place anything other than the PR to the left, then much of the the left side is going to be flush into the side of a building. On top of that, you are likely going to have the ugly side of the other building mostly exposed since the diner's upper floors will not cover it up. Right there with you. I am neither gung ho nor am I a hater when it comes to this one. There are things I really like, and things I really do not like, but it will be an eventual purchase (still need to get the DO).
  24. AFOLguy1970
    This really should have been a corner building. As a standalone building, this works fairly well in a way similar to PR. It only has one side that I would want to hide (the right) Problem is that in a group it easily exposes the bad side of whatever building is to the left of it. Having a boxing ring above the diner does not make a lot of sense. I guess it will add some "bass" to whatever is coming out of the jukebox. The interior of the diner and recording studio looks good. The Pink Caddy is not too bad. Guess they are adding facial expressions after all. And Jims is going to be without an apostrophe, although it does not matter to me too much. Wonder what the price will be........
  25. AFOLguy1970
    Hopefully the official release will have some photos of the interior and of different angles. Of course the calendar photo has the car right in front of the spot where the technic pins should go. Seeing how the left side of the diner is detailed and the curve at the front extends in that direction, I am beginning to think the best way to display this building would be to NOT have it directly connected to a wall of another modular like they did with the original photo and AS. Doing so would pretty much hide the interior portion of the curve and mask that feature, thus diminishing the essence of the diner. I would do one of two things: either (1) create a small park on a 16x32 to act as a buffer between DD and another modular to the left, or (2) dare to somehow mod DD to make it an corner building with the left/curvy side being the corner. The big challenge would obviously be to do something about the stairs blocking the sidewalk.
×
×
  • Create New...