In the last few years, Lego models have begun concerning themselves with aesthetics. While up to the mid-90's Lego models were made with sharply angled brick, the recent (well, with more than a decade, but still...) trend has been toward rounder, smoother bricks. That has lead to the loss of many favorite bricks, especially in the space theme. The 6x6 Octogonal Canopy has all but disapeared, the 10 x 4 x 2 1/3 Canopy is gone (though that is also the result of the abandonement of the finger hinge system). I see the new SP3 sets, and though it is obviously inspired by and an attempt to get back to the Golden Age of Lego (Space), it just doesn't feel right. Why? I don't know. Somehow, they seem cartoonish in a way that Blacktron or M-tron never did. Maybe it's the garish colours. Maybe it's the more rounded aesthetic that crushes my suspension of disbelief.

Somehow, the more rugged, chunky models of the early 90's made the Legos more believable as something that can actually operate in deep space, instead of looking like a concept car for a sports vehicle. The Space Police minifgs with oxygen tanks and an open helmet didn't help either (thank Zeus they fixed that in the 2nd year!).

/rant

I'm a conformist!!

Scorpion

P.S.: How the hell do you make a poll?

Somehow, the more rugged, chunky models of the early 90's made the Legos more believable as something that can actually operate in deep space, instead of looking like a concept car for a sports vehicle. The Space Police minifgs with oxygen tanks and an open helmet didn't help either (thank Zeus they fixed that in the 2nd year!).

P.S.: How the hell do you make a poll?

You just answered your own why. I think that back then, specialty pieces were just different than specialty pieces now. In ten years, specialty pieces will be different still.

BTW, you can only make polls when you reach 500 posts.

Personally I would chalk it up to the overuse of technic. I really love this police speeder:

It's very smooth, and it has some great lines. The engines are also a big plus. However, this set seemed incomplete, and then of course there's the open cockpit.

I would say that TLC is going a step in the right direction. I'm really hoping that TLC is going to make a massive space set, like they've done with the Imperial Flagship and Medieval Market Village.

Personally I would chalk it up to the overuse of technic. I really love this police speeder:

I agree 100%. Technic is a set killer IMO if there's too much.

I liked the angular construction of the old sets better too. It didn't necessarily make them look more realistic, but the angular pieces are often more versatile and can be used in more different ways than the curved ones. This especially applies to the transparent canopies. The 10x4 canopy you mentioned could be stacked (as seen in the SP2 sets), and the smaller 6x4 canopy could be used with the recessed side facing outwards, as a wall element or ramp (done in 6783 or 6473).

I was thinking of this independently of this topic in the context of those large white Technic panels that most people seem to hate in the SP3 sets. To me they don't seem any different in intent than using flat wing wedge plates back in Classic Space, but the aesthetic is definitely more smoother and rounded. This feels like a natural evolution to me.

I actually like the mix of parts in SP3 - yes, there's some Technic, but there's a lot of great different types of slopes in white and much blocky goodness in the big Enforcer set.

This seems to be a recurring theme in many discussions. I too yearn more and more for the old days, and I’m not even old. But I am loving the way LEGO is evolving – it keeps material fresh. And the history it leaves behind creates a depth which makes things richer for us AFOLs, and broadens this community.

The original space series has a quaint charm which modern sets just don’t have. Modern sets have a slickness which the old-school sets are missing. I see sets like hyperspeed pursuit and galaxy explorer and i think they're both perfect. I see ’quaint’ and ‘slick’ as two separate properties which are desirable but practically mutually exclusive.

And we know that TLC knows this, and that’s why we have the intensely gorgeous ‘building sets’, the giant VW, etc. And I’m spending my hard-earned cash on the original space series (any aussies wanna spread the love??). But, as damaging as it would be to the value of my collection, what would make me feel warm&fuzziest is to see the original space sets re-released in an un-modernised form

Or perhaps TLC will surprise us one day with the brilliant sets that perfectly combine both quaint charm and slickness. Something like a 1950s Mercedes gullwing. Someone wanna MOC one?

And we know that TLC knows this, and that’s why we have the intensely gorgeous ‘building sets’, the giant VW, etc. And I’m spending my hard-earned cash on the original space series (any aussies wanna spread the love??). But, as damaging as it would be to the value of my collection, what would make me feel warm&fuzziest is to see the original space sets re-released in an un-modernised form

Oh, this! A million times this!

I was thinking of this independently of this topic in the context of those large white Technic panels that most people seem to hate in the SP3 sets. To me they don't seem any different in intent than using flat wing wedge plates back in Classic Space, but the aesthetic is definitely more smoother and rounded. This feels like a natural evolution to me.

Back when those panels started appearing in Technic sets, they allready looked fishy to me.

I guess it's because the concept of those panels goes against the fundamental characteristic of LEGO: modularity. Taking your example, while a flat wing panel can be used as a wing, a part of a larger wing, it can be sandwiched between two bricks, joined with another one to make the tip of an airplane, in essence, be a part of a model, be something you can build on, the only thing you can do to the technic panels is attach them to a model. Are they flashier? Yes. Are they prettier? Yes, but they lack the connectivity to other lego the other elements had...

Back when those panels started appearing in Technic sets, they allready looked fishy to me.

I guess it's because the concept of those panels goes against the fundamental characteristic of LEGO: modularity. Taking your example, while a flat wing panel can be used as a wing, a part of a larger wing, it can be sandwiched between two bricks, joined with another one to make the tip of an airplane, in essence, be a part of a model, be something you can build on, the only thing you can do to the technic panels is attach them to a model. Are they flashier? Yes. Are they prettier? Yes, but they lack the connectivity to other lego the other elements had...

You can attach those Technic panels to each other in countless ways. They are designed so the curves will match up almost without question. And that's a great option considering how many more attachment points these have than the old panels. Really there's nothing wrong with them-- they're just a much needed evolution of the older Technic panels, and certainly a lot more modular than those ever were.

The only reason they seem less modular is because they are finally aesthetically appropriate for use on System sets. If the older style of Technic panels were used on System sets, then you'd really have something worth griping about, because unlike the new panels their modularity was very strictly limited.

Anyway, I like the newer, more curved aesthetic. It's a lot more genuine-feeling for spacecraft IMO-- after all, they have a more aerodynamic feel compared to their blockier predecessors, which is essential for operating within an atmosphere or escaping an atmosphere to operate in deep space.

Meanwhile, curves help establish contrast-- note that while the Space Police vehicles are typically sleek and refined with abundant curves, the "bad guy" vehicles are chunkier and more industrial-looking. Certainly beats the older days of Space Police, where there was very little besides a brand name and a color scheme to help you tell good guy and bad guy vehicles apart (which isn't to say the older Space Police sets aren't awesome-- they had several neat ideas, including the prison pods which have been maintained as part of the new Space Police).

Overall, I like the Space Police aesthetic, with its creative engine designs, extensions of modern culture (even civilians in past space themes seemed excessively equipped with their specialized vehicles and military-style uniforms), and Space-theme throwbacks like the various references found in bad guy graffiti. It feels like a future where space has gone from a frontier to the home front, and that's a very ambitious and inspiring concept.

Furthermore, why are people complaining about cockpits not being airtight on a friggen Lego toy? I mean, besides that, many of the older sets weren't very "airtight" either.

I really like the idea of the new Space Police, of having futuristic version of current technology, like ATMs, cars, trucks, motorcycles... it's so cool!

Then you have the Galactic Enforcer which is just a big space ship, kind of like the flag ships of the old Space themes, which is also very cool.

Edited March 26, 201014 yr by Skulls_Eye_Schooner_Sailor

Taking your example, while a flat wing panel can be used as a wing, a part of a larger wing, it can be sandwiched between two bricks, joined with another one to make the tip of an airplane, in essence, be a part of a model, be something you can build on, the only thing you can do to the technic panels is attach them to a model. Are they flashier? Yes. Are they prettier? Yes, but they lack the connectivity to other lego the other elements had...

I think you're overstating the case. There are plenty of SNOT connection pieces via the use of half-Technic pins to make them very useful in terms of attaching a whole lot of things to the panels. Larger flat wing pieces *are* still found in these sets (like the Galactic Enforcer) if you do prefer just studded plates.

Evolution of sets is necessary. Remember, it's Lego, most sets are built for playability and looks, so they have to keep up with the times and make new parts to meet the demand.

About the open helmet thing, haven't you seen any of the original Space guys?

Edited March 26, 201014 yr by CallMePie

Meanwhile, curves help establish contrast-- note that while the Space Police vehicles are typically sleek and refined with abundant curves, the "bad guy" vehicles are chunkier and more industrial-looking. Certainly beats the older days of Space Police, where there was very little besides a brand name and a color scheme to help you tell good guy and bad guy vehicles apart.

I beg to differ! In 90's Space, you could distinguish each theme by the design motif! Blacktron II had spherical cockpits, Ice Planet had mostly rovers and rocket launchers, Spyrius had flying saucers and robots, etc... You don't need curves to have different designs!

Overall, I like the Space Police aesthetic, with its creative engine designs, extensions of modern culture (even civilians in past space themes seemed excessively equipped with their specialized vehicles and military-style uniforms), and Space-theme throwbacks like the various references found in bad guy graffiti. It feels like a future where space has gone from a frontier to the home front, and that's a very ambitious and inspiring concept.

Now that you mention it, maybe that's one of the reasons why I dislike SP3. It reminds me of bad sci-fi shows with flying cars and desintegration rays, while 90's space is much more Hard Science Fiction, with more realistic (for a toy) spaceships and space suits and moonrovers and etc..

SP3 is Buck Rogers, 90's Space is 2001: A Space Odyssey.

About the open helmet thing, haven't you seen any of the original Space guys?

They're a few years before my time. The earliest I caught was Futuron.

I beg to differ! In 90's Space, you could distinguish each theme by the design motif! Blacktron II had spherical cockpits, Ice Planet had mostly rovers and rocket launchers, Spyrius had flying saucers and robots, etc... You don't need curves to have different designs!

Now that you mention it, maybe that's one of the reasons why I dislike SP3. It reminds me of bad sci-fi shows with flying cars and desintegration rays, while 90's space is much more Hard Science Fiction, with more realistic (for a toy) spaceships and space suits and moonrovers and etc..

SP3 is Buck Rogers, 90's Space is 2001: A Space Odyssey.

They're a few years before my time. The earliest I caught was Futuron.

That comment was about the old days of Space Police, not the early 90s. Yes, Space Police II was around during the early 90s, and I straight-up forgot about Blacktron II's spherical cockpits, but still the Space Police II vehicle style was painfully generic and not much different than Unitron's.

Yes, Unitron had a defining characteristic of modular cockpits, but it didn't really extend to a unique aesthetic. The vehicles still had the same shape and style of parts (as well as countless lasers-- I never understood why what seemed to be a public transit system had so many offensive weapons).

That comment was about the old days of Space Police, not the early 90s. Yes, Space Police II was around during the early 90s, and I straight-up forgot about Blacktron II's spherical cockpits, but still the Space Police II vehicle style was painfully generic and not much different than Unitron's.

Yes, Unitron had a defining characteristic of modular cockpits, but it didn't really extend to a unique aesthetic. The vehicles still had the same shape and style of parts (as well as countless lasers-- I never understood why what seemed to be a public transit system had so many offensive weapons).

As Scorpion said, the BT2 cockpit pods were arguably more distinctive than anything in SP3. SP2's hallmark was probably the stacked cockpits in the two larger sets. There were definitely some characteristic styles present in most of the old themes, if you were looking for them.

Unitron came out a few years after SP2 (in fact, it was the successor to SP2 in the sense of taking up the "good faction" role), so you can't really compare that with SP3 and the SP3 crooks.

I think the most unique style was actually that of the Mars Mission aliens, but none of the alien models were all that great in themselves.

Furthermore, why are people complaining about cockpits not being airtight on a friggen Lego toy? I mean, besides that, many of the older sets weren't very "airtight" either.

I didn't like it back then either. Filling holes in cockpits is probably the most common modification I make to official space sets. SP3 has generally been very good with this though.

Edited March 26, 201014 yr by CP5670

I was just wondering why people are worried about air-tightness on a Lego set. I mean, it is a toy after all, and plus, most of the mini-figures had space suits to protect them anyway.

Good look filling the cockpit on something like Blizzard Baron or Super Nova II.

You could apply that logic to any aspect of a Lego model though. Why should a Lego spacecraft have engines, or why should a Lego truck have doors? The point is that fully enclosed cockpits, like these other things, are cool.

I don't mind it so much with those small models where it is often not practical to fill the holes. This was one thing I liked about the Raid VPR though. It's probably one of the smallest space models TLG has made with an enclosed cockpit. The only other one that comes to mind is the Saucer Scout, in which the pilot can't sit upright.

Good point, and I don't think some of those were meant to have an illusion of air-tightness anyway, more like just a windscreen (or since it is in space, space dust screen?) and then the minifig has his space suit to protect him.

In any case, even though it is LEGO, obviously, it's always fun to come up with as much realistic touches as possible, and be creative about it too.

Don't you hate when you are building a vehicle only to realize the minifig won't fit or has to lean back to sit in it? Then it is back to the drawing board.