AFOLguy1970

I guess 500 pieces is pushing the lower limit of the cutoff range, but 1000 pieces would probably be around the high end. I note your point about piece size, so maybe it would be fair to say that Lego is likely not going to approve an Ideas set greater than $100 in retail price. I do also agree that some type of upper limit needs to be set. I would also like for there to be a way to screen and remove projects that have no chance of making it, whether or not it is that beautiful 40,000 piece model of Erebor or if it is something that looks like a 4 year old designed and Dad thought we all should see it. Judging by the current offerings, it would not surprise me if nothing makes it through the next review either. Indominus rex is too big and deals with an IP license, a double whammy. Brick Built adventures? I am not sure--again a license and no telling how many people would actually buy it. Rivendell is beautiful, but it really belongs at a Brick-con rather than on the shelf taking up space with an unaffordable price tag. Physics? I love the idea, but it has too many loose pieces, making it more a display item than an actual working thing, kind of like small yellow. Besides, could you imagine trying to get all of the "dominos to stand up? Caterham--I figure if the Corvette got shot down, then so would this. Lothlorien--with a piece count of 1399, it is actually achievable and I would buy it in an instant, and it is really a stunning build. It is the closest LOTR project I have seen to being reasonable, unfortunately the piece count and licensing will be its doom. Modular Library--I actually liked the Natural History Museum better and thought it had the best chance of any modular, but nope. Having to compete with Creator line will probably doom any modular submission. F7A Hornet seems to stand the best chance, because it has now been rolled over twice. So obviously Lego is really considering this, but that is no guarantee it will get approved. Stay-Puft has to compete against a current license and looks rather sizaeable too, which give it some serious headwinds in this process. And the Little Prince? I am not feeling it. How do you display that anyway? So I figure either the Hornet or nothing.

I would have bought the DC-3 as well. The key takeaway for me from the video is that you had better not consider anything over 500 pieces unless it is the idea of the century. Consider the quip about production capacity limitations to be the unofficial piece count limit for an Ideas project.

Definitely a valid opinion. I think the model is true to the headquarters and it should appeal well to fans of Ghostbusters and Lego who do have this kind of money to spend on one set. I too am going to focus on the Brick Bank instead of trying to figure out where I would scrape $350 plus tax for this. With that said, it is a nice set, but I do not feel like i cannot live without one. As for the minifigs, if you do not mind them not having the arm printing, I would recommend getting Ecto-1 while it is still out.

Wait until the Star Wars movie comes out. At that point, a set based on the movie is likely going to be very difficult to find. We might get a news story about a fight breaking out over the last Millenium Falcon on the shelf. The holiday season in the US will ramp up in about 3-4 weeks with Thanksgiving. That is when several lines will start to quickly diminish, and this is nothing new. Since the Lego Movie came out, the Lego inventory tends to get wiped out quickly in the big box stores. Toys R Us had plenty of inventory this last weekend, but it will eventually get to the point where they will sell quickly even with the inflated prices. If you know what you or your kids want for Christmas, and you have the funds available, now would be a good time to pick up the sets.

Only problem is that it would have made the set prohibitively expensive to more casual fans of the theme. It is already $50 with the car and 4 minifigs. For many people, just having this will be well enough. I assume the presumption is that many people who will be buying the new set have yet to buy Ecto-1, and they would certainly want that as well (at least the vast majority of them). If Ecto-1 were to sell out while the headquarters set is on the shelf, I would imagine the resell value on Ecto-1 would go up significantly.

The window is now open to get both double VIP points and the Holiday Train. The train was added to my cart this morning.

So far, I have yet to buy a second copy of any modular, actually any Lego set for that matter. If there is to be a time when I might buy a second one for modding and expansion purposes, this would be the set. I can envision widening the bank and giving the laundromat its own 16x32 building. Too bad the baseplate is 32x32 and not two 16 by 32s.

Sometimes I wonder if Lego reads these posts and deliberately makes the building small so people will feel obligated to buy two or more to make it a "proper modular". Ok, just kidding, but still, if it sells well, that will encourage Lego to continue the pattern of raising the price, making smaller modulars, insisting on a storyline. and padding the piece count with a lot of smaller parts. In the bank, it is obvious there are a lot of 1x1's and other small parts. After an in depth look at this thing, I will certainly buy one. I can not pass up a neoclassical bank, and it is so much better than the DO. I like the color scheme. Most banks are either grey, white, or tan, so having it in bright colors would not work. I really wish they had not tried to add a laundromat to it and just had kept it a bank. The tiled floors certainly add to the piece count, but I do not think the interior is over the top. There is a nice amount of detail outside, which is most important to me as I will hardly ever look inside the building. There are some parts dedicated to the storyline, but it is not as rampant and annoying as the DO. Interesting comments about the designer. Honestly, after the DO, I would have hoped it would be someone else other than Jamie this time. Disclaimer: Jamie has designed some very nice modular and Creator sets. I just think it would be better if they alternated designers to get a variety of building techniques instead of relying on the same person year after year. Having new multiple inputs give the modulars a new fresh perspective. And about the storyline, it is hard to say whether or not this is the whim of the designer or if TLG has issued a standing order that one be included. I agree that in an adult theme it is unnecessary. Nevertheless the design is good enough to set aside a budget next year to be able to purchase it. Also, I agree with some that if they keep raising the price, there will come a point where I get priced out of it. Please dont ask me to choose between going on a summer vacation or buying something half the size of a Fire Brigade with double the storyline. </rant>

I really like the bank. It is so much better than the DO. It seems like more of the details went to the exterior this time rather than too focused on the interior. The colors are nice, and I really look forward to buying this. It is a good representation of a classical bank with the architecture, chandelier, clock on the outside, and even the bankers lamp in the manager's office. Agreed that the laundromat was put there for the sole purpose of providing access to the vault, hence the storyline. I probably would have nixed the laundromat and just focused on the bank itself, but it is not really that bad. It could have been worse---you could have had breakaway walls, and classic robbers entering the vault to find......a pile of cookies. Not crazy about the price increase, but I will still get it.

It sounds like there will be a fair amount of detail on the exterior. It will be interesting to see how they combine the laundromat and bank into a single corner building, but so far it sounds like a good modular. The columns and statuary in the description make me think of a neoclassical structure, which is common for banks.

Butch Cavendish in the Lone Ranger theme Constitution Train Chase has some blood printing on his face. Apparently, he was quite violent, so much that the movie would not have been suitable for small children.

The most recent STAMP in a premium set I am aware of is the MAERSK freighter. When Scooby Doo came out this year, people were worried that the Mystery Machine would have one, but Lego went through the trouble of splitting up van's letters into two stickers on each side to keep that from happening. If they can do it for a $30 set, surely they can find a way to avoid a STAMP on a $350 premium set.

Excellent look at the house in its heyday!

On the modular thread on the Town section, there was a hint given that the new landmark set had something to do with "you can fly". I made a guess that the reference was to Big Ben, because the Peter Pan animated movie featured the group flying through London and landing on Big Ben in particular with the song by the same name being played. For the record, I could be totally wrong, but that was my guess. Between the Ghostbusters HQ, the landmark set, and the new modular, it would seem like a photo or a revealing of something might happen soon, especially if one of these is set to appear on Jan 1.

Oddly enough, the name is actually given to the bell inside the clock tower. I think it is actually called St. Stephens's Tower or something like that. If this is true, and they are going to make a Disney minifig series, I might have to start feeling those blind bags for the Peter Pan. It does look like a good lineup. Ghostbusters might be too rich for my blood at $350, but the new modular and maybe the landmark could be promising.

Hopefully, it is the long awaited bank, and a corner building at that. Be prepared for a breakaway wall w/ a bank robber possessing the same smile as everyone else. As for the new landmark, if "You can fly" as the clue, my guess is going to be Big Ben. Peter Pan flew past this famous landmark on his way to Neverland as the song by the same name was being played. If this is true, I might just have to get that one.

Interesting about the updated figures with the arm printing. Now the focus is on Ecto-1 itself. As much as it pains me to say this, I am beginning to believe there will be another one in this set. So, do they try and one-up the Ideas set as well? If so, those of us who bought the original set are going to feel like people who bought Windows Version "X" right before the release of Windows Version "X+1". If they are going to go through the trouble of updating the arm prints, thus creating a superior minifig to the originals, it leads me to believe they will simply let the Ideas set run out and put the car in this one, leaving everyone who bought the first set with a feeling like they now have something outdated. Also, to address a point made previously, there actually is a precedence for Lego making two depictions of the same scene, even in the same wave. In Lord of the Rings, they made a "Wizard Battle" set, and a "Tower of Orthanc". The Tower of Orthanc contained almost the same depiction of the Wizard Battle scene within it. There would be somewhat of a parallel to it if they put Ecto-1 and the four ghostbusters in the firehouse.

I do not see how the mansion could be lacking in play features. It has: A greenhouse with a carnivorous plant (moving jaws) secret compartment for the key a warball trap above the door a rotating clock and turntable to reveal the vampire a small vehicle It has 7 minifigs if you count Scooby. Besides Velma, the Black Knight and Vampire are unique to the set. As far as I know, this is currently the only way to get a glow in the dark ghost. There is an assortment of interesting parts including rare purple parts, two jack o lantern parts, a printed coffin, and some other great parts. They included a lot, but managed to keep the price below $100.

It would be something if the Pope stopped to view the Lego display and there was a picture taken of him holding that minifigure.

I really need to see the details to determine whether or not I would consider saving $350 for the set. My hopes: (1) It is big, even with the detailing (2) There is no redundancy with the four main figures and Ecto-1. Hopefully, they will maintain production of Ecto-1 to go alongside this set. That also allows those pieces to be used for the structure itself than using approximately 500 for a vehicle that die hard collectors already have eating into the piece count. That is good for you too, Brent! (3) Along with #2, If they make the 4 ghostbusters, perhaps they will be in their non uniform variants, for example, Spengler will have his lab coat on. Venkmann could be dressed to go out with Dana, etc. (4) Agreed that the piece count vs price seems generous. This could imply there are lots of 1x1 squares and rounds and the like. I just hope it looks like a $350 set. (5) No stickers. A premium set should not have them.

Thank you Kelseycoe for the info. Even if these are the only sets we see, I still think this is a successful theme. There are a lot of positives. You get the whole gang, and they have good printing. You get the Mystery Machine. It is a little smaller than I hoped for, but it is sufficient, and I totally understand the need for stickers. The villian assortment is good. Some of the classic monsters made it to the sets. I would have loved to get a Captain Cutler, Miner 49er, or Space Kook, but fully understand that it would be hard to make everything that everyone wants. The mansion is not too bad. It is designed in mind for kids, and I doubt it was meant to compete with the Haunted House. Having the largest set below $100 makes the line of sets attainable for children and those who desire the nostalgia. I only needed to buy two to get the whole gang, although I might get a couple of the others. The Mystery Mansion also makes an excellent Halloween display set, even better when combined with the Mystery Machine.

Except they did make the Ecto-1 from an Ideas submission. It was even in the same wave as the one with the car and the headquarters that was not chosen. I highly doubt Lego would have been planning to make the headquarters prior to the Ideas set, but not the car. If I were the guy who came up with the car and headquarters Ideas set, I would be fairly upset right now. The only major difference between his submission and the one that got accepted was the fact he included the building, and now they are making it after all.

Sounds interesting, but for $350, I had better be blown away. The question would then be, are they going to keep the production of the Ecto-1 sets going alongside this release? I could not imagine someone buying this without the option of having Ecto-1, and putting the car in the set would be redundant. I can picture the garage, an office, and the place where the ghosts are "held" along with a few supporting characters. It is just difficult to see how it could add up to $350.

I did in fact set some money aside for Parisian Restaurant before it came out. I based that decision on the photos and release information. With Lego sets, I can mostly tell from photos and descriptions whether or not I would like to own the set. I did not do the same for DO as I am not really impressed with it--again the decision was based on information released ahead of the set. If they do plan on releasing a modular on January 1, it would be beneficial to release photos, a description, or something before the holiday season begins. If I do not know what is coming, I will not set money aside for it. With Christmas one week prior to that, a lot of people will not have room in their budget for something like a modular unless they either save or get enough gift cards to buy it.

Ditto for the scimitar. It is really being overused right now. Basically, most bad guys regardless of theme, seem to be assigned this weapon. I am also not crazy about the blasters that shoot round 1x1's, which have been in some of the Star Wars sets.