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AFOLguy1970

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Everything posted by AFOLguy1970

  1. AFOLguy1970
    There is definite shrinkflation going on with a lot of sets and themes. At $230, this modular needs to be impressive. I have some VIP points I can use to ease the sticker shock, but the cost is now getting to the point where I really have to be careful. I get the fact that costs are going up, both with materials and shipping, however most of our paychecks have not kept up with inflation. Unfortunately, large premium sets are at far greater risk of being on the chopping block when it comes to my budget. In addition to modulars, would love to have the Titanic and probably the soon to be announced Eiffel Tower, but unless something unexpected happens, they will remain a pipe dream. Agree with other comments that piece count does not tell the whole story. Earlier modulars had a lot more 1x4, 1x6, and 1x8 bricks to give them some mass. Now, there are a lot more smaller parts. The trade off was obviously more details for a reduced size. The heights of the buildings are noticeably shorter compared to earlier structures. I love the BH, but that upper level really seemed a bit short. There have been some interesting "tricks" in the past used in order to get piece count down, notably the incomplete walls (BB,PS), making two tall levels as opposed to three levels (FB, PC, BB), and an unfurnished interior under the guise of being renovated (looking at you, Pet Shop). Newer buildings often have a tendency to have a smaller footprint as well. There is no telling what we will get for $230. I really hope they focus on the exterior and not devote a lot of parts on some unnecessary storyline, an unwanted vehicle, or something else controversial.
  2. AFOLguy1970
    FYI for those who own a modular Downtown Diner. I was looking at the interiors today and had not done so in a while. When I got to the gym (the level right above the diner), I discovered that 5 out of 16 reddish brown clip pieces used to hold the boxing ring section together had broken at the hook. Certainly, this is very frustrating, and I disassembled the ring entirely to avoid the eventual breakage of more of these parts. I will probably try to order the black version of this part and use them in place of the reddish/brown parts. I have to wonder how many other problems I have yet to discover in the many sets that I own and display. Online Pick a Brick has this as HOLDER Ø3.2 W/TUBE Ø3.2 HOLE ID:6341968/44873
  3. AFOLguy1970
    At that point, the only cost effective way to go would be to Bricklink or a reseller. The odds just are not in anyone's favor, especially if they are targeting a specific minifig.
  4. AFOLguy1970
    I am all for being friendly to the environment. Unfortunately, this new format for blind bags does not seem appropriate given the price and the audience. At the very least, I would like to see an option to purchase a complete collection (1 each) or have some other way such as a bar code to identify the bag. As far as being the "great equalizer" and making the in store process more fair by having it truly be blind, I do not see much of an advantage. Take the Muppets for example. Some people are not trying to get all 12. They might just want Kermit and Miss Piggy. These people have a 10 out of 12 chance of getting something they do not want. Others will want maybe 6 of the "A-listers" or so. Some of us do want all 12. Having it truly be blind now means I just went from a 0 out of 12 chance of landing Kermit at Walmart to a 1 out of 12 chance. At $5 a pop, that is going to be a no from me. Had I not felt the four bags yesterday, I would have ended up with 3x Janice and 1 Waldorf for $20. There has to be a better way.
  5. AFOLguy1970
    That height adjustment really looks good. It makes the top floor seem like less of an "attic", and I like it better without the windows at the floor.
  6. AFOLguy1970
    Yes, however I think that the highest floor is very short, even compared to the middle floor. If the upper two floors were comparable in height, I think it would look fine.
  7. AFOLguy1970
    I finished the BH, and it looks very nice. The experience was fun, and it was enjoyable to read the commentary in the instructions pointing back to other modulars. As always, there are new building techniques and some very interesting uses for parts that none of us even considered. I am fine with the color scheme, and the minifigs are good. There are many nice details and several minibuilds await in the interior. I find it comical, but understandable that we would have a luggage cart, however It is not going to get very far ;) Minor complaint: I am not a fan of the cabinet doors where they are used in the hotel rooms as they are very loose. More major complaint: while there has been discussion about its height and floor levels compared to other modulars, I have a bit of concern with the floors compared to each other. The middle floor is about a brick height lower then the bottom floor. The top floor is a brick height shorter than the middle floor, therefore the floor heights are gradually shrinking. If you separate the floors and place them next to each other, you will see what I mean. Later on, I might modify this by adding a brick layer to the top floor. Perhaps an extra flesh layer on the bottom exterior sections to match its surroundings, and then the interior walls will get the extra layer on top. That way, the doors do not meet the ceiling like they do now. Hopefully Bricks and Pieces will have the curved and straight flesh bricks necessary to make this adjustment. For the most part, I am fairly happy with the hotel. It is whimsical, but so are many of the modulars. One last observation: The barista and his coffee cart recall the original modular: the Cafe Corner. When I google images of Jamie Berard (the CC designer) with his glasses and look at this particular minifigure, I see a resemblance. Was that intended?
  8. AFOLguy1970
    Just got back from the store, and the love for the BH is definitely there. I was sixth in line an hour and a half prior to opening. At opening, the line went fairly far back from the store entrance. One of the employees indicated that they did not get all expected shipments in, therefore some new sets were not in store. This might also explain why there is no GWP for today. As we were leaving the mall, I noticed there were not many BH's left. The only problem with waiting a few days for the GWP offer would of course be the risk of the main item you want being OOS, which is entirely possible. Now, it is time to start building the hotel!
  9. AFOLguy1970
    Maybe even before that. Last year, we were there an hour before opening and there were already a dozen people there. When the store opened, the line was big enough where I doubt that there was enough new stock for everyone. It is going to have to be an hour and a half this time. I told my son if he is going with me, he should bring a handheld video game or something to entertain him. I expect the usual onsite crash tonight with those trying to get it shipped to them. I prefer the store, mainly because I can start building it when I get home.
  10. AFOLguy1970
    I like it and certainly plan on buying it. The art gallery is definitely smaller than what I thought it would be. The rooms are about what I expected. Two on the middle floor, and the "suite" on top. It does not seem to blend well with the police station or bookshop with the mismatch of floor heights, but I think it could work in other combinations. It would also appear that Lego forgot to include the pre order button on its website.
  11. AFOLguy1970
    A printed piece of Starry Night would be great since it is going to be released soon on its own. It would also be great if Lego could finally allow pre order for a modular. They have tested pre order on some other products, why not this one too? It would be really nice to somehow avoid the midnight computer crash or trying to get to the Lego Store early on January 1 with 80 other people (not an exaggeration, at least according to the experience last year).
  12. AFOLguy1970
    For anyone building the Santa Sleigh set, were your instructions and sticker sheets crumpled? I bought two sets, and they both were in fairly bad shape when I opened the boxes.
  13. AFOLguy1970
    It is hard to imagine really being able to do a hotel justice even if the whole building was devoted to it. Having an art gallery on the lowest level is definitely going to limit the size of any lobby a hotel might have. This does not bode well for a waiting area, cafe, breakfast room, elevator, etc. If it is triangular, it is going to also be very interesting to see how it connects with the others. I hope the Art Gallery does not have a theft story associated with it. That jail cell in Police Precinct already has to deal with the donut thief, the illegal cookie ring, and the bank robber.
  14. AFOLguy1970
    I thought about that, but what could be problematic is that I would also need the parts that make up the yoke, reins, the blocks that "fill in" the reindeer, and the parts that make up the harnesses on the reindeer. There is also a part that goes on the harness on top of the reindeer that looks to be either printed or has a sticker, and I would certainly want all 8 reindeer to have those as well. Sure, I end up with two sleighs and two Santas, however I could probably use a lot of those parts elsewhere to justify getting the second set.
  15. AFOLguy1970
    I am definitely going to stay up until 11PM or midnight for October 1 to make sure I order two of those sleigh sets. If last year was any indication of what this fall will be like, then anything we want this year has to be ordered immediately. It is doubtful the site would crash from people ensuring they get their sleighs, but is there anything else being released October 1 that could draw the hordes onto the website? Probably many others are planning on getting two sleighs in order to have the full team of reindeer. Hopefully, it will not be difficult to connect the whole team of eight. The one thing that surprises me about the sleigh is the lack of sleigh bells. No doubt this can somehow be modded to have something that appears as bells. Perhaps using silver round 1x1 plates will do the trick.
  16. AFOLguy1970
    If it is a hotel, hopefully the whole building will be devoted to it. Even so, you would probably have 3 rooms at best in addition to the lobby. I can envision a couple of rooms above the ground level and then perhaps a larger suite above that. There could be an elevator. There might be a small cafe or breakfast room with the lobby. The minibuilds would include various furniture and a bag cart. Hopefully it is true. I would really like to see at least a temporary return to a one building/one function modular.
  17. AFOLguy1970
    I think it would be great if the announcement was made either in Belfast or the Lego Store in Southhampton. Something this historic deserves this type of reveal. I can see how it could be 12000 pieces or more, especially if they do the full ship. There would certainly need to be a steady support system to rest the model on. There will probably be a lot of interior support pieces that we will not see on the outside. There is plenty of room on the decks and around the ship to devote a lot of attention to detail. I would not expect an interior, although they might have a partial reveal here and there to show some of the more interesting areas. That might include the bridge, the grand staircase area, and maybe even a way to remove part of the hull to see the actual engine room and boiler areas.
  18. AFOLguy1970
    When I saw the advent calendar, I know I had found my replacement for the yawner of an AC that Harry Potter came up with this year. I do not have several of those minifigs, especially in those variants and still needs some infinity stones. I think the calendar is going to appeal to a lot of people (self included). The only really weak point I see is the trans-blue action pieces will of course take up a slot, and they are not really a build.
  19. AFOLguy1970
    Unpopular opinions, eh? This might belong in an HP thread, but it could work here as well, especially since I will be going against a lot of HP fans. I think that HP Advent calendars have jumped the shark. They made a great AC that set up the Great Hall Christmas scene very well. Then, they came back and made a AC that set up the Yule Ball very well. I think both knocked it out of the park, and I somehow knew that the bar was now raised very high. I look at this year's AC and see a set that leaves me very little to get excited about. How many more Harrys, Hermiones, Dracos, and Rons do we need? The set is for the children you say? Ok then, how many Harrys, Hermiones, Dracos, and Rons do they want/need? OK, I get it with Harry--he is kind of the main guy and has to be in nearly every set. They even have a good print of him, which of course enrages those with Diagon Alley who feel like their Harry minifig is no longer something special. They have a few good printed pieces, but I cannot justify getting it for those. Presumably two days are going to be devoted to wall building. I think a grand total of two days even have anything to do with Christmas at all. I think I have an unpopular opinion because the youtube channels are drooling over it for reasons I cannot comprehend. Guess I will get the Star Wars one for the overpriced Christmas Baby Yoda that was highly predictable. --sigh-----
  20. AFOLguy1970
    I think so. After spending some time quietly in the "Lego Room", I always seem to feel a little bit better than I did before going in there. This would certainly be a great topic for someone to research. It would make a good dissertation.
  21. AFOLguy1970
    If they actually did eliminate the baseplate and go to regular plates, it would be curious how they handle the photos of the newest modular with the older ones.
  22. AFOLguy1970
    Truly wonderful! This is also a great way to show my sons that math is important after all!
  23. AFOLguy1970
    Wow, I am surprised that they held out that long! Had there been only 22 at Dallas North Park, they would not have made it past the first hour. There were fifty people in line, ten ahead of us. Almost all of the 10 had a Police Station and a Trouble on Tatooine set. I will bet that store is fairly wiped out on inventory at this moment. The display at the entrance to the story barely had anything at all since they will not display something that is not available.
  24. AFOLguy1970
    Very nice video. Actually, the inventory levels look excellent for this time of year. They had several in demand sets such as the Star Destroyer, Millenium Falcon, Hogwarts Castle, etc. Had I been there, there would have been some sets for me to pick up. You should see the Dallas Lego Store in North Park. That would be the definitive example of a store with wiped out inventory. Yesterday, most of the shelves were stocked with the new stuff, but after seeing that line to get in, I would bet they dont have much right now.
  25. AFOLguy1970
    Yeah, you're right. Pretty much all of the Lego Western Hemisphere fan base is trying to get in or through checkout. Epic fail.
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