Shall we ever get an AFOL Sci-Fi set?

[Yloquen]

Similar to Market Village or the modular buildings? And, no I don't count the Factory sets a few years ago as such.

P.S. And I should probably also explain why I don't count the big SW sets - they are too limited in design, and that has a big impact on part variety.

Edited July 19, 2010 by Yloquen

[jonwil]

I too would love to see a giant space set (bigger even than sets like the Galactic Enforcer) as long as the color scheme and parts selection was good.

[Wout]

A sort of Sci-Fi Market place or something like that?

The Space police 3 police office is a great starter.

But something more spacebase would be nice.

[Algernon]

I would love this. The Galactic Enforcer was a nice bit of fan service, but a standalone, completely unique UCS-style Space set would be an absolute dream come true. Personally, I'd hope for a fully realized flagship, without any "play features" (AKA shooty things).

I don't pop for LEGOs often these days, but I'd happily lay out a $100 bill for something like this.

[Aanchir]

I would love this. The Galactic Enforcer was a nice bit of fan service, but a standalone, completely unique UCS-style Space set would be an absolute dream come true. Personally, I'd hope for a fully realized flagship, without any "play features" (AKA shooty things).

I don't pop for LEGOs often these days, but I'd happily lay out a $100 bill for something like this.

Even the Medieval Market Village had play features. The Galactic Enforcer had no functional armaments at all-- only the little bad guy-flyer (one of the better-designed ones IMO) had the standard blunt shooter-- but it still had the splitting-apart-and-fitting-together-different-ways feature. Even though IMO, flick-fires and even blunt shooters can be done tastefully.

I'm curious, though, what would separate Galactic Enforcer from an UCS-style flagship. I guess that would mean more greebles and tiny detailing? Or a larger interior? I wouldn't mind either of those things, even though some of the Space flagships I've seen as MOCs are waaaaaay beyond anything LEGO would ''ever'' put out in terms of size and level of detail.

[lightningtiger]

What I would like to see is a both a system and UCS style sets of original BSG Viper and Raider, 80' Buck Roger's Starfighter and Hatchet fighter and even a B5 Star Fury too !

Sci-fi should be real sci-fi, lets not forget a special police callbox !

Plus don't forget also the minifigs to go with them !

I'm a conformist! !

[LegoGarlicBread]

I'd love to see UCS of ships from old Space games like Galaxian, Space Invaders, Galaga, and Bosconian.

[user]

I'd love to see UCS of ships from old Space games like Galaxian

queue annoying sound effects... NOW! Like I've said before a space version of lego city would be literally the best theme ever! There's infinite possibilities and there could be a huge price range too.

[ProducePrincess]

If there were to be a giant lego space set i would hope for it to have many hidden compartments and a section for vehicles to load on too , kinda like a giant galaxy enforcer.

[Tereglith]

This would be a great idea. There are so many possiblities! Perhaps something large in the neo-classic-space style, or a number of highly detail civilian vehicles in the style of SP3. Or (what I would be most likely to buy) a great big greebled steampunk airship! Any of these would be simply amazing and would probably sell like hotcakes. I don't see why they haven't done one or more yet.

[Algernon]

Even the Medieval Market Village had play features. The Galactic Enforcer had no functional armaments at all-- only the little bad guy-flyer (one of the better-designed ones IMO) had the standard blunt shooter-- but it still had the splitting-apart-and-fitting-together-different-ways feature. Even though IMO, flick-fires and even blunt shooters can be done tastefully.

I'm curious, though, what would separate Galactic Enforcer from an UCS-style flagship. I guess that would mean more greebles and tiny detailing? Or a larger interior? I wouldn't mind either of those things, even though some of the Space flagships I've seen as MOCs are waaaaaay beyond anything LEGO would ''ever'' put out in terms of size and level of detail.

I would think the difference between UCS and standard models would be obvious. And the Galactic Enforcer had tons of play features- The four fugly "jail" pods attached to either side of the hull complete with targets to break the cell apart, for starters. The play features in Medieval Market Village were slightly less obnoxious. Also, UCS models aren't generally minifig-scale (although I'm not sure I would necessarily want that).

Galactic Enforcer is nice, but it's no UCS. I personally love UCS sets- I was thinking about popping for that Jedi Starfighter, even though I don't generally collect SW.

[Rijkvv]

I would like to see a big ship, maybe Neo Classic Space style, as there were many MOCs to be found a while ago. I don't mind play features, but then play features like a hidden ground vehicle. I dislike shooting missiles.

Another option may be a monorail. A while ago I saw a brick-built monorail with 9V motor. It was Town-orientated, but of course a (classic) Space themed monorail should be possible, and instead of the 9V motor a PF one could be used.

[Hoboman]

While I understand the desire to avoid silly play features like the spring loaded launchers or targets etc, but given a choice between a "UCS" and a system set, I would vote for a system set.

But I also do not see why they can not make a combined set and just minimise the cute play features.

[CP5670]

There is nothing necessarily wrong with play features or other functionality. If they're done right, they can add a lot to a model, and I would much rather have a model with such features than something that is only good for displaying.

The flick-fire missiles and spring launchers are often tacked on and not well thought out (although even those are occasionally used well, as in the Hyperspeed Pursuit set), but we have seen much better examples of such features. Things like modular components, steering mechanisms on vehicles, opening bay doors (6987 and 6953) or transforming functions (5983) are some that come to mind.

Edited July 22, 2010 by CP5670

[Aanchir]

There is nothing necessarily wrong with play features or other functionality. If they're done right, they can add a lot to a model, and I would much rather have a model with such features than something that is only good for displaying.

The flick-fire missiles and spring launchers are often tacked on and not well thought out (although even those are occasionally used well, as in the Hyperspeed Pursuit set), but we have seen much better examples of such features. Things like modular components, steering mechanisms on vehicles, opening bay doors (6987 and 6953) or transforming functions (5983) are some that come to mind.

I think a good example of flick-fires being used well is set 5970 Freeze-Ray Frenzy. And I've never had a problem with the SPIII jail pods-- I feel they're an appropriately futuristic-looking evolution of the jail pods from the previous two Space Police themes. The fact that the panel on the top acts as a "target" to blow them up isn't realistic by any means, but I don't think it makes them unattractive or "<insert that tiresome argument>" in any way.

I understand the difference between UCS and standard models, but honestly besides the scale (which has been toyed with in the UCS Imperial Shuttle and Millenium Falcon sets), the only things that I feel really separate them from standard models are huge price, huge size, and number of greebles. And as the bad-guy vehicle in Hyperspeed Pursuit showed, greebles aren't exclusive to sets that are over $100.

[Fires-storm]

I honestly do hope for an AFOL sci-fi set, but I'm one of those weird people that likes playability and swooshability in his sets as well I forgo custom rigging on pirate ships and choose plastic, because if I use custom and want to blow off a mast I'd cry to destroy it, same with a UCS space ship. So honestly make it big, but make it playable is my opinion on an AFOL set

[vexorian]

When done correctly, playability makes sets more interesting. Take the deep freeze defender, imagine it without the transformation into multiple vehicles...

flick-fires I think are usually ok, because they do not usually get in your way - You may just decide not to shoot them and they become decoration. It is a problem when launchers fall off or change the aesthetic of the set too much.

The galactic enforcer, I think is more of a TFOL+ set than one for children. I don't think it would survive that well in a child's play room, really. I don't think its play features are negative, but I dislike the bulls eyes in the prison things. No, not the fact the prison pods can be shot at, but the fact that the space police for some reason put bulls eyes in their ship, that's horrid.

I said it would have to be a base + capital ship because just a large ship may not work that wall (I mean, much larger than the enforcer). Buildings like the grand emporium don't need to be lifted. Boats like the imperial flag ship can stay in water/ground. But a good space ship deserves to be lifted and posed in a "flying" state. If it was very large, it would get hard to lift it...

I think that if they want to call a set an AFOL set, it would have to be a base + capital ship, both with nice detais. And I would avoid it if it was not in minifig scale (plus it should bring its good share of minifigs and droids.). Very close to what we have seen with the galactic enforcer and the police base, but it would needs some more details, less details and less FOCUS on action features. It should have some nice action features, but they should not be the priority so it does not have aesthetic issues caused by the addition of an action feature...

Edited July 23, 2010 by vexorian

[Artanis I]

I've never had a problem with the SPIII jail pods-- I feel they're an appropriately futuristic-looking evolution of the jail pods from the previous two Space Police themes. The fact that the panel on the top acts as a "target" to blow them up isn't realistic by any means, but I don't think it makes them unattractive or "<insert that tiresome argument>" in any way.

I think the issue is not so much the pods themselves but the way they're placed on the Galactic Enforecer - they stand out like an arm coming out of your stomach. Looks unnatural.

[Ro13ey]

I'd like to see a black hole gang base and a dark alley set. I don't like the jail pods either, in fact I think it's a waste. All kids care about is breaking the toy to wach it explode into hundreds of pieces, wich is why I think most children like legos.

Edited August 4, 2010 by Ro13ey

[Carefree_Dude]

I think, a large starship loosely based on some of the old space themes would be nice; or maybe a large space station that incorperates all the old space themes as "friends". I would hope it would be in the 200 dollar price range. Either that, or a giant blacktron mothership...

[feanor]

I wish we got one day a UCS type of Sci-Fi set, something for an adult audience. But I cannot see any big market for TLC to bring something like this in production anywhere soon :-/

However in the imaginary case they did, I would like an abstract spaceship, something like a 7644 MX-81 Hypersonic Operations Aircraft or a 7674 Star Wars V-19 Torrent.

[Nick Wolfe]

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the new $99.99 rocket ship set. Despite it's "real world" origins, it's still space. I, too would like a black hole gang base, or a space version of the brickfather's mansion, with, of course members of the black hole gang, and a couple of space police, with like a small prison. Or a newly outfitted blacktron space station with all the people, and some aliens, like rench, with blacktron suits. But I'd still like something with space police 3.

[Blackicep8ntball]

I'm afraid the Star Wars line has put a damper on other space lines... a futuristic, AFOL spaceship would take away from comparable SW sets, and so until TLG takes a break from SW, I doubt we'll see much. Yeah, we got the shuttle, and it's "space", but it's not "sci-fi", and I think that's what people are looking for.

Cheers!

[vexorian]

I'm afraid the Star Wars line has put a damper on other space lines... a futuristic, AFOL spaceship would take away from comparable SW sets, and so until TLG takes a break from SW, I doubt we'll see much. Yeah, we got the shuttle, and it's "space", but it's not "sci-fi", and I think that's what people are looking for.

Cheers!

Hmnn I wonder if we have any data about Mars mission / SP 3's effects on star wars set sales. In my case, I was about to decide to buy me a certain cool star wars ship until I figured out I could instead get a hyper speed pursuit with more pieces by a lower price instead.

[Artanis I]

Hmnn I wonder if we have any data about Mars mission / SP 3's effects on star wars set sales. In my case, I was about to decide to buy me a certain cool star wars ship until I figured out I could instead get a hyper speed pursuit with more pieces by a lower price instead.

SHHH!!!! Don't say that or we won't get any new space sets next year!