LEGO Star Wars 2020 Set Discussion - READ FIRST POST!!!

[Mandalorianknight]

45 minutes ago, 2maxwell said:

Does anyone know if the snowtroopers coming in this AT-AT have a new print?

I think they’re the same as the juniors ones.

33 minutes ago, Graupensuppe said:

Does anyone else feel the quality of SW minifigures is regressing right now? It's like they're on a tighter budget since 2019.

-Snowtroopers used to have fabric kamas. 
-The rebel pilots in the 2017 UCS Snowspeeder got arm prints. This hasn't happened again, not even for the UCS Y-Wing.
-RotS Anakin still has to use the old TCW hair instead of one of the more accurate pieces that have been created in the meantime - possibly because it was already in production in this color.
-We're getting, what, 4 new molds for SW minifigure pieces this year? It used to be 10-20. Even Ahsoka who is a fan-favorite character has to re-use another character's piece.

Some of them sound like cost-cutting measures, I’ve kept in the other ones I think I can answer.

the snowtroopers are missing their kamas so they can sit in the at-at

arm printing is pretty rare among Star Wars figures, so it makes sense the only arm prints for the pilots would be in a UCS set.

lego makes weird choices with hair all the time, it might just be that they think it works best for anakin.

while I can only think of five new Minifigure molds for this year off the top of my head (3 knights,  Jannah, Baby Yoda), no other figures this wave need a new mold. Maybe Ahsoka, but the Montral length isn’t that far off, it looks like they go almost all the way down her torso in season 7.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Mandalorianknight

[ARC2149Nova]

2 hours ago, Graupensuppe said:

Does anyone else feel the quality of SW minifigures is regressing right now? It's like they're on a tighter budget since 2019.

-Hoth rebels used to have leg prints. Since 2019 they don't have them anymore.
-There used to be X-Wing and Snowspeeder pilots, distinguishable by their hands and prints. As of 2019, all pilots are X-Wing pilots.
-RotS Anakin still has to use the old TCW hair instead of one of the more accurate pieces that have been created in the meantime - possibly because it was already in production in this color.

The first two problems bother me quite a bit, the 2015-2016 Hoth Rebels are the best.

However, looking at Anakin's hair from a promotional movie photo, Anakin's TCW hair is the most accurate piece. Old Luke/Sirius' hairpiece would be too long, and Lloyd's hair is also off. Not even going to touch Mad-Eye's hairpiece, which I've seen used. They'd need a new hairpiece altogether for a ROTS Anakin. S7 Anakin may have hair befitting Lloyd's, but that's the show not the movie.

[Kaijumeister]

The lack of new minifigure moulds is certainly something that irks me a fair bit, especially as they’ve declined in quantity substantially over the last three years alone! Though of course, 2017/18 had TLJ and Solo, whilst we had TRoS last year. It would have been nice to get new P2 clone helmets this year if only for the extra holes on either side of the helmet for add-on parts like the P1 helmets offered. I’m still itching for a P2 Captain Rex / Commander Cody at some point, although this seems more and more unlikely.

4 hours ago, ARC2149Nova said:

However, looking at Anakin's hair from a promotional movie photo, Anakin's TCW hair is the most accurate piece. Old Luke/Sirius' hairpiece would be too long, and Lloyd's hair is also off. Not even going to touch Mad-Eye's hairpiece, which I've seen used. They'd need a new hairpiece altogether for a ROTS Anakin. S7 Anakin may have hair befitting Lloyd's, but that's the show not the movie.

You have a good point here - the TCW headpiece we got 12 years ago works fine  for Anakin upon a cursory glance. Even if it isn’t necessarily the most accurate, it does the job. Saying that, a new mould would be most welcome.

Looking at the clearer catalogue pictures, the wave has definitely grown on me. As always, it’s easier to appreciate it on its own merits rather than on the grounds of missed opportunities. Hopefully we should be getting official pictures any day now, would like to see if the Night Buzzard holds more than 1 or 2 minifigures! This will be my first AT-AT as I was too young to ever get any of the earlier iterations so I’m excited for that too. 

Edited June 13, 2020 by Kaijumeister

[lego_guyon02]

46 minutes ago, Kaijumeister said:

The lack of new minifigure moulds is certainly something that irks me a fair bit, especially as they’ve declined in quantity substantially over the last three years alone! 

Seriously? Star Wars is by far the theme with the most new minifigure molds introduced each year. In 2019 and 2020 alone we've had the Imperial Stormtrooper, Padme, Finn, Boolio, D-0, Ushar, Ap'lek, Vicrul, Kuruk, Cardo, FO Jettrooper, Zorri, Rebel trooper, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Kaz, Vonreg, Scouttrooper, Praetorian Guard, The Child and Jannah come with at least 1 new mold per figure.....

[Kaijumeister]

6 minutes ago, Guyon2002 said:

Seriously? Star Wars is by far the theme with the most new minifigure molds introduced each year. In 2019 and 2020 alone we've had the Imperial Stormtrooper, Padme, Finn, Boolio, D-0, Ushar, Ap'lek, Vicrul, Kuruk, Cardo, FO Jettrooper, Zorri, Rebel trooper, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Kaz, Vonreg, Scouttrooper, Praetorian Guard, The Child and Jannah come with at least 1 new mold per figure.....

Apologies, what I meant was that within the theme itself we’re seeing less moulds per year, rather than in relation to other themes. In any case, I was being too pedantic and stand corrected 

[Graupensuppe]

6 hours ago, ARC2149Nova said:

However, looking at Anakin's hair from a promotional movie photo, Anakin's TCW hair is the most accurate piece. Old Luke/Sirius' hairpiece would be too long, and Lloyd's hair is also off.

Lloyd's hair looks spot-on to me for RotS Anakin. It's looks longer and has the right curliness.

1 hour ago, Guyon2002 said:

Seriously? Star Wars is by far the theme with the most new minifigure molds introduced each year. In 2019 and 2020 alone we've had the Imperial Stormtrooper, Padme, Finn, Boolio, D-0, Ushar, Ap'lek, Vicrul, Kuruk, Cardo, FO Jettrooper, Zorri, Rebel trooper, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Kaz, Vonreg, Scouttrooper, Praetorian Guard, The Child and Jannah come with at least 1 new mold per figure.....

It's true that SW always got lots of new minifigure molds. I'm counting no less than 12 per year, sometimes up to 20. But that's why it's so noticable that there are barely any in 2020 - only Jannah's hair, 2 or 3 Knight of Ren helmets, and The Child's head.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Graupensuppe

[Sneakguest]

1 hour ago, Guyon2002 said:

Seriously? Star Wars is by far the theme with the most new minifigure molds introduced each year. In 2019 and 2020 alone we've had the Imperial Stormtrooper, Padme, Finn, Boolio, D-0, Ushar, Ap'lek, Vicrul, Kuruk, Cardo, FO Jettrooper, Zorri, Rebel trooper, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Kaz, Vonreg, Scouttrooper, Praetorian Guard, The Child and Jannah come with at least 1 new mold per figure.....

4-Loms piece was not new last year, battlepack from 2017 wasnt it? Cant visualize a rebel trooper with a new mold, pls remind me which one that was?

[JekPorkchops]

2020 has only 5 new minifigure molds and probably won't have more, 2019 had 13, 2018 had 19, 2017 had 12 (surprisingly low), 2016 had 21. 2015 had 23 and 2014 (the last non-new-movie-wave year) had 17. There is a decline. And I was bored.

Edited June 13, 2020 by JekPorkchops

[Sneakguest]

lol yes, but good work though ;) and when it comes to molded heads, the decline is even worse

[lego_guyon02]

29 minutes ago, Sneakguest said:

4-Loms piece was not new last year, battlepack from 2017 wasnt it? Cant visualize a rebel trooper with a new mold, pls remind me which one that was?

4-LOMs piece was indeed reused, forgot about the battlepack. I count the Rebel Trooper's helmet as a new mold because it hadn't been used for 6 years before it's reintroduction in 2019, some people may not see it as a new mold but LEGO would've needed to make a new mold for it regardless.  

[BrickBob Studpants]

Yes, there is a decline, but then again, this year has seen quite a few unconventional minifig-less sets (e.g. the helmet sets). The lack of a new movie certainly doesn’t help either. Moreover, there’s one thing that also needs to be considered when it comes to new moulds: how many of them are one-offs and how many were designed to be repurposed? The new ones introduced this year are mostly specific to one character with no chance of being reused anytime soon while lots of new moulds in the past few years have been reused in other sets countless times 

[wesker]

52 minutes ago, Graupensuppe said:

It's true that SW always got lots of new minifigure molds. I'm counting no less than 12 per year, sometimes up to 20. But that's why it's so noticable that there are barely any in 2020 - only Jannah's hair, 2 or 3 Knight of Ren helmets, and The Child's head.

Don't forget the Princess Leia hologram that came in Obi-Wan's Hut. Not your traditional minifigure but still a new mold representing a character.

[Sneakguest]

45 minutes ago, Guyon2002 said:

4-LOMs piece was indeed reused, forgot about the battlepack. I count the Rebel Trooper's helmet as a new mold because it hadn't been used for 6 years before it's reintroduction in 2019, some people may not see it as a new mold but LEGO would've needed to make a new mold for it regardless.  

Why, have you read somewhere that they don't store old molds? Because for me there is no logic to count a new mold for something which isn't indeed new

[benderisgreat]

11 minutes ago, Sneakguest said:

Why, have you read somewhere that they don't store old molds? Because for me there is no logic to count a new mold for something which isn't indeed new

Yeah, Lego stores all unused molds in their factories as some documentaries show. So no, if they use mold made in 2001 in 2020 it's not considered "new mold". They just bring old mold out of storage and use it.

[Samppu]

Speaking of molds, it is irritating that they do not use the double-molded legs or hands for Star Wars figures. Yes, the minifigure series are purposefully made to be more catching than the figures in the sets, but many Marvel characters do have double-molded legs, so why not Star Wars characters? The budget is an argument, because the Star Wars figures tend to sell well anyway, but using, for example, for the scout trooper the already existing mold of black legs with white boots (that has been almost lazily used in at least 3 or 4 recent CMF figures instead of creating new combinations) probably would not be so much more expensive... 


- Samppu

[lego_guyon02]

1 hour ago, Samppu said:

but many Marvel characters do have double-molded legs, so why not Star Wars characters? 

Since when do many Marvel characters have dualmolded legs? Most of them don't even have legprinting.....

[BigGuy4U]

3 hours ago, Samppu said:

Speaking of molds, it is irritating that they do not use the double-molded legs or hands for Star Wars figures. Yes, the minifigure series are purposefully made to be more catching than the figures in the sets, but many Marvel characters do have double-molded legs, so why not Star Wars characters? The budget is an argument, because the Star Wars figures tend to sell well anyway, but using, for example, for the scout trooper the already existing mold of black legs with white boots (that has been almost lazily used in at least 3 or 4 recent CMF figures instead of creating new combinations) probably would not be so much more expensive... 


- Samppu

I personally think there's way too much focus on dual-molding around here, it's nice to have but not usually necessary in my opinion, at least not to the degree some people seem to think it is. That being said there are a few minifigs who I think desperately need it like silver leg C-3PO and Bossk, and to a lesser degree Scout Troopers and every Imperial officer ever.

[ARC2149Nova]

6 hours ago, Guyon2002 said:

Seriously? Star Wars is by far the theme with the most new minifigure molds introduced each year. In 2019 and 2020 alone we've had the Imperial Stormtrooper, Padme, Finn, Boolio, D-0, Ushar, Ap'lek, Vicrul, Kuruk, Cardo, FO Jettrooper, Zorri, Rebel trooper, 4-LOM, Zuckuss, Kaz, Vonreg, Scouttrooper, Praetorian Guard, The Child and Jannah come with at least 1 new mold per figure.....

In addition to the comments about 4-LOM and the Rebel Trooper, Finn's hair isn't new. It first debuted in 2016 with Black Panthers sets.

 

5 hours ago, Graupensuppe said:

Lloyd's hair looks spot-on to me for RotS Anakin. It's looks longer and has the right curliness.

It's close, but I'd still argue a new piece would be better. TCW one doesn't exactly need changing, imo, and Lloyd's is too long in the front. It would still look off.

[lego_guyon02]

19 minutes ago, ARC2149Nova said:

In addition to the comments about 4-LOM and the Rebel Trooper, Finn's hair isn't new. It first debuted in 2016 with Black Panthers sets.

I realised that but forgot about editing my comment. The BP sets came out in 2018 btw

[ARC2149Nova]

23 minutes ago, Guyon2002 said:

The BP sets came out in 2018 btw

Oh, yeah! 

[Mandalorianknight]

1 hour ago, BigGuy4U said:

I personally think there's way too much focus on dual-molding around here, it's nice to have but not usually necessary in my opinion, at least not to the degree some people seem to think it is. That being said there are a few minifigs who I think desperately need it like silver leg C-3PO and Bossk, and to a lesser degree Scout Troopers and every Imperial officer ever.

I agree. People see dual-molding on a few figures in a UCS or superhero set and decide its needed on every figure. There’s definitely figures it would be extremely helpful for, like the ones you mention, and it would be nice if the officers with boots had them too, but it’s not like every character needs them.

Edited June 13, 2020 by Mandalorianknight

[2maxwell]

Obviously the number of new molds will start decreasing eventually as they start running out of *viable* things to make new molds of. New molds for the sake of new molds doesn't make sense, and they're not going to start making molds for characters no one cares about. The Ahsoka and Anakin headpieces are perfectly fine in my opinion. I would have considered it pointless had they bothered to make new molds for those.

[Graupensuppe]

41 minutes ago, 2maxwell said:

Obviously the number of new molds will start decreasing eventually as they start running out of *viable* things to make new molds of. and they're not going to start making molds for characters no one cares about.

The number didn't decrease slowly over the years though, it changed rather abruptly. There are still lots of characters who probably only haven't been made because they'd need new molds: Cody, Kaminoans, Rune Haako, Republic Commandos, proper AT-RT drivers, Tion Medon, Wat Tambor, Mas Amedda, Dexter, Admiral Trench... I think the molds are still the limiting factor for the characters Lego can make, not the other way round.
And while the main characters obvously have to be always available, those who collect for a longer period of time can only be kept interested with an appropriate number of new characters and molds. Especially since Star Wars fans are said to have a tendency to care even about the minor background characters.

41 minutes ago, 2maxwell said:

The Ahsoka and Anakin headpieces are perfectly fine in my opinion. I would have considered it pointless had they bothered to make new molds for those.

Ahsoka has noticably shorter lekku than Shaak Ti, and her forehead isn't as high. In my opinion it really doesn't work well.

[2maxwell]

28 minutes ago, Graupensuppe said:

The number didn't decrease slowly over the years though, it changed rather abruptly. There are still lots of characters who probably only haven't been made because they'd need new molds: Cody, Kaminoans, Rune Haako, Republic Commandos, proper AT-RT drivers, Tion Medon, Wat Tambor, Mas Amedda, Dexter, Admiral Trench... I think the molds are still the limiting factor for the characters Lego can make, not the other way round.
And while the main characters obvously have to be always available, those who collect for a longer period of time can only be kept interested with an appropriate number of new characters and molds. Especially since Star Wars fans are said to have a tendency to care even about the minor background characters.

Ahsoka has noticably shorter lekku than Shaak Ti, and her forehead isn't as high. In my opinion it really doesn't work well.

People are complaining about a shift from ~15 a year to what seems like 5 new molds this year. In order to reach the fabled glory days of yesteryear, you would need to add ~10 minifigures to this year's lineup. That would be an absurd congestion of characters that most people don't care about. While I agree that they could add more new figures cough looking at you Grievous starfighter cough, you couldn't really add more than maybe 2 or 3 this year without it being kind of cluttered. And that's my point: If you think there were sets that could have used new molds or new figures, I'm right there with you, but counting new molds and trying to use previous years as a benchmark is silly.

And as for Ahsoka, that will just be a philosophical difference. I tend to find new, barely different molds for something when an existing very close piece would suffice to be wasteful and somewhat unLego-like. I don't expect that to be a popular opinion and I don't require anyone to agree with me, but it is how I feel.

Edited June 13, 2020 by 2maxwell

[PicnicBasketSam]

Just saw the catalog pics. Not intimately familiar with the actual computer model but the new AAT looks very wrong to me, it's practically a microfighter next to the 2009 version... grievous' ship looks good but they've added $30/35 EUR to the price with seemingly nothing added to the model, anyone have a part count on that one? Knights of Ren ship looks very good but I'm worried it's going to either cost way too much or have almost zero interior space, or both