[OFFICIAL] 10320 Eldorado Fortress - Retiring SOON!

[Doddsino]

1 hour ago, Jack Sassy said:

What is the Disney mindset?

Essentially a deceptively polished product with little to no effort to change or alter it to seem different. Basically slapping a shiny coat of paint on an old run down vehicle in order to draw eyes to something old but to pretend like it's something new. It's what they've been doing with their classic animated movies, going back and making them live action and CGI, while doing absolutely nothing to tell the story any differently or any better.

Edited June 21, 2023 by Doddsino

[Jack Sassy]

1 minute ago, Doddsino said:

Essentially a deceptively polished product with little to no effort put into the quality areas. It's what they've been doing with their classic animated movies, going back and making them live action and CGI, while doing absolutely nothing to tell the story any differently or any better. It's a sports car with an old rusted out engine.

I see, but this set doesn't seem like a deceptively polished product, more like an attempted mix of Space and Castle remakes.

[Doddsino]

1 minute ago, Jack Sassy said:

I see, but this set doesn't seem like a deceptively polished product, more like an attempted mix of Space and Castle remakes.

While not a direct comparison, what I was going for was that Lego took an existing product that people had an admiration for, and then took the bare basic steps to sell their audience on something "improved".

At the end of the day, if this was say...an entirely original set, I'm guessing that more people would be more forgiving. But it's an idea that was half-heartedly updated.

If Lego really wanted to make an appeal for nostalgia, just rerelease the old set. 

[Jack Sassy]

2 minutes ago, Doddsino said:

Lego took an existing product that people had an admiration for, and then took the bare basic steps to sell their audience on something "improved".

To me it seems that they wanted to make this feel as classic as possible but might have taken it too far. For instance, palm trees, shakos (possibly other things) - these seem to be sticking too much to the original. While classic is good, this set aims to be a modern interpretation but it seems they might have possibly misinterpreted just how classic we might want this set. Nevertheless, I do like it but can't say that fully until I obtain and build it. 

[Alexandrina]

16 minutes ago, F1stzz said:

Oh, so now I'm allowed not to like the cons & talk about it openly without being blamed for hostility towards anybody in this thread (which never existed in the first place)? That's nice, I guess the name-calling did help to some extent then.

Nobody has ever said you aren't allowed to dislike the set. The issues I take are with the name-calling and insulting language towards those who do like the set. At no point have I called you any names, nor have I insulted your intelligence or accused you of being out of your senses. And yet, it seems, you're happy to do so to me. I am not saying things "just for the sake of disagreeing", as you say - I genuinely am taken by the set, I'm excited to buy it, and I'm far from alone in that. When I make comments to that extent, or when I make comments defending things I don't see as issues, that's not me being contrarian, it's me using a discussion board to discuss a set that's coming out very soon.

[eldiano]

2 hours ago, F1stzz said:

M8, the fact I can replace the dock with whatever I see fitting doesn't automatically make the aforementioned dock a masterpiece & nicely designed. It doesn't work this way. In fact, when the customer needs to replace the entire section in a pricey set on his/her own — that more often than not indicates the problem being there with the initial design. That's what people are addressing here — the problem with the initial design. Also, you may sometimes change things even if you like the initial approach, so all in all this argument is pointless. The fact of the matter is, there were dozens of years of evolution & progress in building techniques — I'd like to see the culmination of this development in a new $200+ releases, not a degradation, please, thanks.

Look at the current state of LEGO pirate sets, last pirate set was released in 2020, there’s no waves just small pirate themed call outs, who knows when the next pirate set would be. PaB is cheap as hell and I can build a dock cheaper than BL to be honest, not to mention I can get extra mini figures that way.  
 
Many thought this year’s classic set would had been the medieval village because they were rumors about how it could connect to the Lion Knights castle but el dorado came through, i love this set better than the creator 3 an 1 set we would had gotten if lego kept their word about the classic lines.  

I’m completely happy modifying current lego sets, what’s done’s done, and I can’t wait for this set. 

 

To answer Jack Sassy, the Disney route: we get diamonds rather than pearl gold, when before it was chrome yellow for pirate treasure. 

 

Edited June 22, 2023 by eldiano

[RichardGoring]

35 minutes ago, Jack Sassy said:

To me it seems that they wanted to make this feel as classic as possible but might have taken it too far. For instance, palm trees, shakos (possibly other things) - these seem to be sticking too much to the original. While classic is good, this set aims to be a modern interpretation but it seems they might have possibly misinterpreted just how classic we might want this set. Nevertheless, I do like it but can't say that fully until I obtain and build it. 

I agree with this. I can see the logic of trying it out - going for something that's trying to remake the original set, but using modern techniques and pieces. But I think the approach to PoBB and Galaxy Explorer are what more people would prefer. I'm glad they tried it. I hope they learn that people call for releases of old sets, but what they actually want are new sets inspired by old ones.

[jodawill]

I prefer Eldorado Fortress over the Galaxy Explorwr by far. I'm really glad to have the classic minifigures rereleased and it looks really good as a display piece, but it falls apart too easily if you try to play with it and there are a number of pieces that aren't as useful as they should be. I would have preferred to have a slope with the space logo. Having a tile instead makes it unnecessarily complicated to use it in MOCs. Some of the 2x2 tiles should have been 1x2s. I love to sit down for an hour and build a little spaceship. You can do that with the original. You can't do that with 10497. 10305 is insanely difficult to extend, but unlike the Galaxy Explorer, it's an excellent parts pack if you want to build your own castles.

10320 is a great parts pack, it looks pretty good (although obviously not on the same level as 10305), it appears to be easy to extend, and it has a lot of play value. Yeah, something completely original might be better, but I'm excited for all the possibilities this opens up for modifications and MOCs. That's what this set excels at that most adult sets don't.

Edited June 22, 2023 by jodawill

[Mister Phes]

2 hours ago, F1stzz said:

Oh, so now I'm allowed not to like the cons & talk about it openly without being blamed for hostility towards anybody in this thread (which never existed in the first place)? That's nice, I guess the name-calling did help to some extent then.

You're most certainly welcome to share your opinions, and it's great you're able to provide such detailed constructive criticism.

However, when communicating via text, the tonality of what you're conveying can sometimes be misinterpreted and may seem more aggressive than you intend.

Understandably you're passionate about LEGO Pirates and require freedom of expression, but it's best to avoid the name-calling, no matter how innocuous it may seem.

[kermit]

initially when i heard the set was making a come back i was excited but now that ive seen some of the reviews on youtube i am kind of torn between getting it and skipping. maybe i expected too much from the set but, i wished that the inside cave system was accessible without having to rearrange the fort. maybe the rock work on the sides could of have hinges where they open up

[Wesley D]

1 hour ago, jodawill said:

10320 is a great parts pack, it looks pretty good (although obviously not on the same level as 10305), it appears to be easy to extend, and it has a lot of play value. Yeah, something completely original might be better, but I'm excited for all the possibilities this opens up for modifications and MOCs. That's what this set excels at that most adult sets don't.

You're completely right, but unlike you, this is why the set makes me sad.

The issue is: as an Icons set it is ment for adults. If it was released as a Creator set or as a new Pirates theme I would have been enthousiastic. There is a lot to like, it's a replica with modern parts and has great play value, but as a 18+ display model it feels unfinished. The exterior has flaws, like the unforgivable interrupted parapets, and the interior could have used more details, like supplies and a treasure. Perhaps it can be modified easily, but that's not what I expect from a high end set.

I don't feel this set is made with the same passion and love, present in the other recent tribute sets. It is as they didn't even consider going all the way when designing this set. That is what I fear: that LEGO starts to cut corners as they may have experienced nostalgia sells.

[LegoAUT]

13 hours ago, Doddsino said:

There's needless detail to bolster the price and the piece count when they could have met in the middle to iron that out, and to maintain the integrity of the original set

See, I for instance would have loved to see more details. I think it looks a bit bare. I also would have absolutely hated if they brought back the original wall panels or raised baseplate. 

[OleBH]

Too much b***ing about female figures and that it's a remake like the forrestmen and blacktron gwp sets. I too would like a more inspired/reimagined set like Lionknights castle, galaxy explorer or PoBB. But i have ordered shakos with prints on BL, have allready built three PoBB palms, and will probably build walls around the admirals office with a small balcony where the cannon is. People need to chill.

[F1stzz]

9 hours ago, Alexandrina said:

The issues I take are with the name-calling and insulting language towards those who do like the set

And while I respect that — I also never insulted anybody here up to the point when you labelled me "vitriolic" & "hostile". Somehow, you decided that would be appropriate because I agreed with the point about TLG bringing an outdated dock design to the modern set, which just happened to be made by the guy, who called people buying the set "suckers" (which means he called ME that too, since I'm about to buy 10320 as well, lol). I agreed with some particular points the guy made, cuz those are spot on — not with him insulting people (insulting me just as much, btw). Yet this brilliant thought somehow didn't cross your mind & u jumped at me with your labels. That's how you get a backlash you've earned all by yourself.

9 hours ago, eldiano said:

PaB is cheap as hell and I can build a dock cheaper than BL to be honest, not to mention I can get extra mini figures that way.

Happy for ya, lad, I sincerely am, but that's not the case at all in my country. We don't have a single official LEGO Store in existence here, not to mention that half of BL sellers & the entirety of eBay has stopped any shipping to my country due to the war happening. So yeah, for me personally it's quite the opposite from being "cheap as hell", & I suppose it's somewhat the same for multiple countries around the world.

8 hours ago, Mister Phes said:

Understandably you're passionate about LEGO Pirates and require freedom of expression, but it's best to avoid the name-calling, no matter how innocuous it may seem.

I hear you, m8 

 

6 hours ago, Wesley D said:

I don't feel this set is made with the same passion and love, present in the other recent tribute sets. It is as they didn't even consider going all the way when designing this set. That is what I fear: that LEGO starts to cut corners as they may have experienced nostalgia sells.

Same thoughts here & it honestly drives me mad when I think this is what we get before the company sends Pirates to another 3 (or more) years break. And when the break for the theme eventually ends, the next thing we're gonna get might also be a butchered remake of a classic. The probability of entering this circle does make me angry, tbh.

[arianrod9]

On 6/14/2023 at 8:05 PM, F1stzz said:

And no, I do not understand why we're getting 3 (if not FOUR — 2 officers, 1 soldier, not so sure on this one tho, & 1 pirate) female characters in this set while there's NO Redbeard (apart from his 2015 faceprint on a random pirate smh...), NO Lt. de Martinet, NONE of these females represent Camilla — I mean, what's up? Is this an Eldorado Wokeness or what?

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On 6/15/2023 at 3:02 PM, F1stzz said:

M8, just take a look at governor's 2015 faceprint (which was a direct copy of an OG Broadside in fact) and the one that we have in 10320 (for an easier Bricklink search here are the codes: 3626cpb1335 & 3626cpb2144 respectively) — & then compare them both to the original Broadside's faceprint (3626bpb0054). I bet you'll question TLG's choice as well. If they didn't care to make a new faceprint for Broadside specifically (which is ridiculous indeed, as he's supposed to be the main figure here) — at least take the one that's resembling him the most.

 

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On 6/20/2023 at 10:35 PM, F1stzz said:

especially when you're mentioning the legendary comic that had all the great stories and took care of depicting the main characters

 

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On 6/20/2023 at 10:35 PM, F1stzz said:

I didn't get a refreshed cool Governor Broadside like I wished I would, nor Lt. de Martinet, nor Camilla, nor Bo'sun Will Cavendish, nor some remade Pirate Captain — none of it.

 

Quote

17 hours ago, F1stzz said:

Pirates theme is the GOAT for me personally, so I care about it accordingly & won't let anybody in their sane mind call the severe quality degradation in the theme's set "immaterial" in my presence.

 

Please, get some help 

[F1stzz]

19 minutes ago, arianrod9 said:

Please, get some help 

I'd like you to share the number of your therapist with me, if you'd be so kind, plz, cuz the way you've framed the quotes does give me a headache :> Always love to be gaslighted into thinking the cons are actually a stuff to be drooling about, btw 

 

Nvm, here's another quick review of the set posted by Tim Brighton-Jones on the Brick Banter blog: https://www.brickbanter.com/2023/06/20/lego-icons-10320-eldorado-fortress-review/

Tim also didn't quite get the "WOW" effect from 10320 for some reason, I wonder why?

[Lion King]

If this set is selling well, I hope Lego would do more Pirate sets / theme (singular) - that would be great!

[lomis]

I'm honestly surprised by a lot of the negativity I've read on this topic.

It has expanded playability, build technique, and display-ability beyond the original with updated prints.
Is this a perfect set? No.
Does it compare with something at the scale of 21322: Pirates of Barracuda Bay? No.
But do I think it is a quality remake of a classic set? Absolutely.

What are my gripes?:

• Why didn't they re-use or expand on the Imperial flag print from 2015?
• Why can't TLG successfully print white on darker torsos, like with the CMF Revolutionary Soldier?
• I would have preferred to see dark red 1x2 masonry bricks rather than a scattering of the dark red rounded 1x2 plates and other such dark red pieces.

I couldn't care less about the color of the dock. I don't get why so many people are hung up on this.
It didn't upset me that the trees in 10305: Lion Knights' Castle and 40567: Forest Hideout were build using mostly black pieces, and I don't think it matters here that portions of this set that were originally black remain black.

And do I care about who the characters are in the set? Absolutely not.
I'm just happy there are a decent mix of Imperials along with two pirates.

I think this set is a fantastic remake, that really does evoke feelings of nostalgia.
This is a day 1 purchase for me unless I hear that there may be an gift with purchase that is pirates-related in future months.

Lastly, I'm really holding out hope for a remake/reimaging of 6274: Caribbean Clipper or a bluecoat 10210: Imperial Flagship.

[CommanderJonny1]

34 minutes ago, lomis said:

What are my gripes?:

• Why didn't they re-use or expand on the Imperial flag print from 2015?
• Why can't TLG successfully print white on darker torsos, like with the CMF Revolutionary Soldier?
• I would have preferred to see dark red 1x2 masonry bricks rather than a scattering of the dark red rounded 1x2 plates and other such dark red pieces.

Yeah, I can get why they might want the flag(s) in this set to be the way that they are, considering the whole 'remaking the old set', but I will agree that the 2015 ones just look way more... refined? ...or at the very least improved over the original ones. I had two big and one small of the 2015 ones (though sadly the clips on one of the big ones broke in an accident and I can't find the small one), and when I first heard that they were releasing this set, I was hoping they'd be using the [at least essentially] same flags, given that the large 2015 flag is $11+ at the cheapest on BL, and the small one is ~$2+. I've relegated my one remaining 2015 flag as the "Royal Standard", and I'' just have to wait and see if Lego releases them (or something like it) down the line.

Lego has had problems printing lighter colors (and white in particular), especially over darker colors, for years. I remember I got a couple of the Aristocrat CMFs and while the torsos were decent, the white face paint looked half applied. In fact, the only reason I got the second one was to try and get a better print quality, but the turned out to be the same. Printing standards seems to be slipping ever so slowly, and there really shouldn't be a reason why, besides Lego becoming lazy with their quality control.

I think I replied to someone else about those bricks. Don't get me wrong, I love the masonry bricks, but I feel that the rounded plates do a better job in this instance.

[jodawill]

2 minutes ago, CommanderJonny1 said:

I think I replied to someone else about those bricks. Don't get me wrong, I love the masonry bricks, but I feel that the rounded plates do a better job in this instance.

The masonry bricks would have looked way too blocky here. It was fine in the 2015 sets because they were simple playsets and were already much less detailed. They wouldn't fit in here and in many cases here it wouldn't have even been possible to use them.

[Arjo]

An online reviewer skilled with a camera has taken very nice shots of the set (playing with backdrops and lights).

Not sure I am allowed to paste the link, his name is Brick Central, if of interest to you (worth a browser search imo).

[F1stzz]

2 hours ago, jodawill said:

In many cases here it wouldn't have even been possible to use them.

Why? It's just a brick. Bricks can be used & stacked with other bricks, lol, that's a "part usage". Slightly changing the structure of a particular build is all it takes to fit anything in. It's not the matter of usability here, it's only about the overall appearance. Some would love to see masonry bricks more, some like the rounded + regular plates combos.

1 hour ago, Arjo said:

Not sure I am allowed to paste the link, his name is Brick Central, if of interest to you (worth a browser search imo).

I believe we're allowed to post links here, albeit I know for sure there's a separate topic dedicated specifically for such fabulous pics like those you've mentioned  Am I right, @Mister Phes? I think recent work of Brick Central deserves to be posted there, those photos of 10320 are just another level 

Edited June 22, 2023 by F1stzz

[lomis]

1 hour ago, Arjo said:

An online reviewer skilled with a camera has taken very nice shots of the set (playing with backdrops and lights).

Not sure I am allowed to paste the link, his name is Brick Central, if of interest to you (worth a browser search imo).

Wow! Great pictures and a nice review.

I think you're okay if you post a link to the review as it's not under any sort of embargo that I am aware of and the set is officially announced.

[Jack Sassy]

17 hours ago, eldiano said:

before it was chrome yellow for pirate treasure.

Good old times. 

7 minutes ago, F1stzz said:

I think recent work of Brick Central deserves to be posted there

Hmm, I believe that everyone is allowed to post whatever pictures of high quality one can find on internet, as long as the title, author and picture are present (of course, picture has to be up to the given standards). 

 

(If no one wishes to publish the picture in the topic, I shall do so in the nearest time.)

[jodawill]

Here's the link: https://brickcentral.net/review-lego-icons-10320-eldorado-fortress/

You weren't kidding! Those are beautiful photographs. I wish Lego still made posters like this. They really ought to bring back the comics, magazines, and posters, at least in the rewards center.