Lord of the Rings Ongoing Discussion

[Balrogofmorgoth]

Also, I’ve saved my VIP points for a very long time. I always figured I would know when it’s time to use them. This is definitely it. And now I can get this set for free with ONLY VIP points

[Khargeust]

I think I'm going to give the dwarves the shorter legs for more realism.

[Altair1]

14 minutes ago, Khargeust said:

I think I'm going to give the dwarves the shorter legs for more realism.

Same here!

[Khargeust]

I forgot to say how disappointing I find the box. LEGO really needs to stop with its lazy, lifeless black visuals. I was expecting a specific backdrop a bit like the 90th anniversary castle; but no. I understand the idea of wanting to make "luxurious and adult packaging", but personally that doesn't appeal to me and even puts me off. 

[mirkwoodspiders]

1 hour ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

I typically don’t feel the need to buy a set “day one”. 

Agreed. I see no reason to buy a set day one without a compelling GWP (Rivendell has none), if double VIP are going (likely not the case with Rivendell), or if for some reason I thought I'd never have the opportunity to get it if I skipped day one (this has never, ever, happened with a set I've wanted). 

[Balrogofmorgoth]

10 minutes ago, mirkwoodspiders said:

Agreed. I see no reason to buy a set day one without a compelling GWP (Rivendell has none), if double VIP are going (likely not the case with Rivendell), or if for some reason I thought I'd never have the opportunity to get it if I skipped day one (this has never, ever, happened with a set I've wanted). 

Yeah LOTR would be the only theme that I would feel compelled to get right away

[Balrogofmorgoth]

39 minutes ago, Khargeust said:

I forgot to say how disappointing I find the box. LEGO really needs to stop with its lazy, lifeless black visuals. I was expecting a specific backdrop a bit like the 90th anniversary castle; but no. I understand the idea of wanting to make "luxurious and adult packaging", but personally that doesn't appeal to me and even puts me off. 

Yeah I hate the black void of death. This set could have had remarkable box art but nope. Instead they chose the Timeless Void where Morgoth dwells until the end of days.

1 hour ago, Khargeust said:

I think I'm going to give the dwarves the shorter legs for more realism.

I’m torn on this. Mid legs are definitely too tall for Dwarves, it makes them way too tall compared to Men and Elves. But they should be taller than Hobbits. But I do think it would best if Dwarves and Hobbits all just had short legs. The Dwarves with mid legs are just way too tall

[MAB]

2 hours ago, Lordhelmet said:

Same, the worst thing that could happen is this set not selling well and Lego taking that as there is not a fan base for LOTR and canceling any play set or future plans.  I think we all agree their intro back into LOTR could have been better (play sets, dioramas, etc.). But we have brickheadz and a pricey (but awesome looking) set.  I’ll be doing my part to keep the theme alive and well, and will thoroughly enjoy an excellent set that is reminiscent of the old theme style (with more detail).  I do also like the Aragorn Arwen brickheadz (surprisingly as I do not like brickheadz in general).  Those two were fun to build and look pretty decent all things considered.  

The intention of my post was to say nobody should feel the need to spend $500 to send a message. They should spend $500 if they want THIS set. As to the bit bolded, I don't think anyone should feel they have to spend money to keep LOTR alive and well, or guilty that they are damaging the chances of more LOTR if they don't buy this. Buy it because you want it, not because you are a LOTR LEGO fan and want more.

I'm not buying it, not because of the cost but because it is too big and needs significant modification to fit my display so I will use existing (and new PAB) bricks to build a smaller version with less depth to it. My existing Riverdell is between 40-48 studs wide but only 16 deep (up to 32 deep including the courtyard). I so rarely turn it around, the interior and depth doesn't matter to me. The new roof is much nicer than mine as are the architectural details using those white swirls. There is also too much overlap with minifigures of the past (as I partly assumed there would be). I'll save that $500 for other LEGO. If they do further sets including Pippin and Merry in Gondor and Rohan armour, Aragorn with a crown, update Gandalf etc, then I might buy again if those sets fit my display. If they do a Witch King, even more likely. But if they do another similar size $500 set then I'll probably skip that one too. If there really are many new LEGO LOTR fans since last time then the set should still sell well and send the message that people want more. Ideally I want to see smaller but still adult sets. Something half this size would have been preferable to me. Maybe they will get that message at some stage if the larger sets don't sell as many as they hope and they get such feedback if they survey why. But that is a wait and see. For me, they are now doing too many massive sets that require a large piece of furniture to display it on and look good. I don't think it will take too long for collectors to be saturated with too many large sets that each need a large display area/volume and LEGO will need to be careful that while people might have the money, they might not have the space.

[Balrogofmorgoth]

I don’t think it’s up to any of us to tell people why they should or shouldn’t buy a lego set. Lego looks at numbers, so naturally, the more people buy it, the better it looks to the company. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to continually keep the message going that we want LOTR sets. Especially if you’re like me and will buy any LOTR products they put out anyway, so you’re getting the set you want and you’re keeping the message going strong 

[Altair1]

6 minutes ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

I don’t think it’s up to any of us to tell people why they should or shouldn’t buy a lego set. Lego looks at numbers, so naturally, the more people buy it, the better it looks to the company. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to continually keep the message going that we want LOTR sets. Especially if you’re like me and will buy any LOTR products they put out anyway, so you’re getting the set you want and you’re keeping the message going strong 

Well said, mate :-)

[Balrogofmorgoth]

55 minutes ago, MAB said:

The intention of my post was to say nobody should feel the need to spend $500 to send a message. They should spend $500 if they want THIS set. As to the bit bolded, I don't think anyone should feel they have to spend money to keep LOTR alive and well, or guilty that they are damaging the chances of more LOTR if they don't buy this. Buy it because you want it, not because you are a LOTR LEGO fan and want more.

I'm not buying it, not because of the cost but because it is too big and needs significant modification to fit my display so I will use existing (and new PAB) bricks to build a smaller version with less depth to it. My existing Riverdell is between 40-48 studs wide but only 16 deep (up to 32 deep including the courtyard). I so rarely turn it around, the interior and depth doesn't matter to me. The new roof is much nicer than mine as are the architectural details using those white swirls. There is also too much overlap with minifigures of the past (as I partly assumed there would be). I'll save that $500 for other LEGO. If they do further sets including Pippin and Merry in Gondor and Rohan armour, Aragorn with a crown, update Gandalf etc, then I might buy again if those sets fit my display. If they do a Witch King, even more likely. But if they do another similar size $500 set then I'll probably skip that one too. If there really are many new LEGO LOTR fans since last time then the set should still sell well and send the message that people want more. Ideally I want to see smaller but still adult sets. Something half this size would have been preferable to me. Maybe they will get that message at some stage if the larger sets don't sell as many as they hope and they get such feedback if they survey why. But that is a wait and see. For me, they are now doing too many massive sets that require a large piece of furniture to display it on and look good. I don't think it will take too long for collectors to be saturated with too many large sets that each need a large display area/volume and LEGO will need to be careful that while people might have the money, they might not have the space.

I definitely agree that there are way too many massive expensive sets being released. It’s way too much. I usually keep up with Star Wars UCS sets but I didn’t get the Razor Crest because I’ve had to get pickier since there are too many options. Also didn’t get Hogwarts Express. Wasn’t worth it to me. But I would buy any large scale LOTR D2C sets, even if it means skipping other themes I like

[mirkwoodspiders]

This might be a silly thought, but I wonder if LEGO reads forums like EB. Like, would someone in their marketing department research the top LEGO discussion/sales sites and try to form an opinion on trending desires for LEGO sets? One forum isn't representative of the entire LEGO market obviously, but I think if you had a dedicated portion of marketing looking at a broad picture (EB, bricklink, ebay, Reddit, Brickset, Twitter, etc.) to see how people write and think about themes and sets, you'd get a decent picture about demand.

All to say, I really, really hope LEGO is reading sites like this and seeing how excited people are for the LOTR return, and doesn't base their decisions in the future completely on sales numbers. I don't think they do, but I'm anxious that this is a one-time deal. And even with that, I'm fairly comfortable in thinking it'll stick around, the biggest reason being Rivendell's new moulds. I don't think they'd make new moulds for something like Gimli's Helmet and axes, Sting, the Shards of Narsil, or even create new Elven hairpieces, if they weren't planning to use them in the immediate future. They seem too unique and too carefully made to be one-offs. We will see.

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by mirkwoodspiders
Spelling

[LegoAUT]

5 minutes ago, mirkwoodspiders said:

This might be a silly thought, but I wonder if LEGO reads forums like EB. Like, would someone in their marketing department research the top LEGO discussion/sales sites and try to form an opinion on trending desires for LEGO sets?

I am quite positive they do! 

[Moexy]

5 hours ago, Khargeust said:

I forgot to say how disappointing I find the box. LEGO really needs to stop with its lazy, lifeless black visuals. I was expecting a specific backdrop a bit like the 90th anniversary castle; but no. I understand the idea of wanting to make "luxurious and adult packaging", but personally that doesn't appeal to me and even puts me off. 

I’m also not a fan, to state it friendly. It doesn’t work especially for location based sets. It looks like a part of the valley/structure is floating in a black void … Beautiful boxes I like to keep out in the open as decoration on its own, not gonna be the case with this one …

[Wardancer]

It is very sad there is no Elven shield in this. I have ones from three different customizers, but none are perfect.

Edited February 10, 2023 by Wardancer

[LegoAUT]

I personally could not care less about the box tbh, sure, I appreciate a beautiful box? But this one is not horrible, so I am okay with it and honestly, I don‘t have space to keep them for long anyway. I also threw the 10305 box away after a month or so, there is just no use in keeping those forever in my opinion. :) 

[wesker]

24 minutes ago, Wardancer said:

It is very sad there is no Elven shield in this. I have ones from three different customizers, but none are perfect.

Hopefully if Barad-Dur goes ahead they'll include some Elves with shields from the opening prologue.

The leaked survey only mentioned Frodo, Sam, Sauron and Mordor Orcs among the included minifigures but if Rivendell is anything to go by surely there will have to be more. Would be a good set to also reintroduce Gollum and the Ringwraiths.

[Retro Brick Reviews]

7 hours ago, Khargeust said:

I forgot to say how disappointing I find the box. LEGO really needs to stop with its lazy, lifeless black visuals. I was expecting a specific backdrop a bit like the 90th anniversary castle; but no. I understand the idea of wanting to make "luxurious and adult packaging", but personally that doesn't appeal to me and even puts me off. 

I understand the marketing value of the pretentious "Adults Only" style, but it does look really dull. Imo all 18+ boxes should be designed like the Winnie the Pooh box, where the set is shown against a relevant backdrop which fades to black around the edges, creating a box that's thematically appropriate, visually striking, AND pretentious.

6 hours ago, Balrogofmorgoth said:

I’m torn on this. Mid legs are definitely too tall for Dwarves, it makes them way too tall compared to Men and Elves. But they should be taller than Hobbits. But I do think it would best if Dwarves and Hobbits all just had short legs. The Dwarves with mid legs are just way too tall

I mean, with the beard attachments at the neck the Dwarves are already taller than Hobbits by a 1/2 plate or so, even with short legs.

3 hours ago, mirkwoodspiders said:

This might be a silly thought, but I wonder if LEGO reads forums like EB.

Considering that this summer the LEGO Harry Potter team is releasing an actual UCS Dobby's Sock... yeah, LEGO definitely reads Eurobricks forums. Perhaps a little TOO much.

9 minutes ago, wesker said:

Hopefully if Barad-Dur goes ahead they'll include some Elves with shields from the opening prologue.

The leaked survey only mentioned Frodo, Sam, Sauron and Mordor Orcs among the included minifigures but if Rivendell is anything to go by surely there will have to be more. Would be a good set to also reintroduce Gollum and the Ringwraiths.

Imo I'd prefer a Barad-dur set just focus on the prologue entirely. There aren't any figures from the present story of the movies that couldn't come in other sets, meanwhile a full minifig selection based on the Second Age with Sauron, Isildur, Elendil, a new 2nd Age Elrond, Elven Warriors and Orcs would be absolutely incredible.

[BrickBob Studpants]

9 minutes ago, Retro Brick Reviews said:

Imo I'd prefer a Barad-dur set just focus on the prologue entirely.

So you want a Barad-dûr that misses its most iconic element?!

11 minutes ago, Retro Brick Reviews said:

Considering that this summer the LEGO Harry Potter team is releasing an actual UCS Dobby's Sock... yeah, LEGO definitely reads Eurobricks forums. Perhaps a little TOO much.

I knew it, they‘re onto us!  What can we trick them into doing next…

[Retro Brick Reviews]

6 minutes ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

So you want a Barad-dûr that misses its most iconic element?! 

No, just include Second Age figures, and give you the option to build Barad-dur with or without the Eye of Sauron. (I personally would just break canon by displaying it with the Eye but the prologue battle playing out down below anyway.)

I suppose realistically they could include both Second Age and Third Age figures (Sauron, Elendil, Isildur, Elrond, 4 Second Age Elves, 4 Orcs (work for either age), Frodo, Sam, Gollum), which would be ideal if perhaps a bit wishlist-y.

10 minutes ago, BrickBob Studpants said:

I knew it, they‘re onto us!  What can we trick them into doing next…

UCS Aragorn's Broken Toe

[Balrogofmorgoth]

I’ve always wanted a D2C Barad-Dûr to focus on the prologue. I don’t even care that the timeline of the Eye wouldn’t make sense. The Eye from the films already breaks book canon so who cares. For all I care, make it represent multiple films. I’d love specific versions of Frodo and Sam from the destruction of the Ring scene. And maybe include a Ringwraith or two and fell beast to represent the ending shot of Two Towers. But I primarily want Sauron, Elendil, Isildur, Gil-Galad, and I guess an updated Elrond, although the old one is perfectly fine. Gil-Galad probably wouldn’t happen though, he’s only seen for a second or two on screen. Noldorin Elven warriors and Second Age Gondorian soldiers would be awesome too, although those would be better suited to battle packs

Edited February 11, 2023 by Balrogofmorgoth

[Lordhelmet]

Who else bought the brickheadz?  If so how would you rank them for finished product/ build?  
 

for me it is Aragorn, Arwen, Gandalf, Frodo, Balrog, then Gollum.  

I think the Balrog just bothered me because we don’t have a real one where at least we did with the others.  Also I am excited to get minifigs of the king ellesar and queen Arwen in addition to a minifig scale balrog.

[wesker]

12 minutes ago, Lordhelmet said:

 Also I am excited to get minifigs of the king ellesar and queen Arwen in addition to a minifig scale balrog.

Those two seem inevitable for a Minas Tirith set regardless whether its minifigure or microscale.

As nice as those variants would be, I do hope we see Eowyn and Galadriel first before getting anymore alternate Arwen costumes.

[RichardGoring]

3 hours ago, Retro Brick Reviews said:

UCS Aragorn's Broken Toe

Please don't start! We've had years of UCS Dobby's Sock in the Harry Potter threads and they're actually going to do one this year! (along with the rest of Dobby).

Went into my local LEGO Store this evening (Burlington, MA) and they were building Rivendell at the front of the store. It really is impressively large. Looking forward to getting it, but I'll wait for double VIP, a decent GWP, or a cashback site to go bananas.

[Retro Brick Reviews]

2 hours ago, wesker said:

As nice as those variants would be, I do hope we see Eowyn and Galadriel first before getting anymore alternate Arwen costumes.

Eowen is a must-have (and would also make sense for the mythical Minas Tirith set), but we already got a pretty perfect Galadriel in one of the 2014 Hobbit sets. A remake would be great, but on general principle I prefer getting new characters and variants over updates of old ones.

1 hour ago, RichardGoring said:

[UCS Aragorn's Broken Toe]

 

Please don't start! We've had years of UCS Dobby's Sock in the Harry Potter threads and they're actually going to do one this year! (along with the rest of Dobby)

...Why can't we 'ave some meat?