LEGO® CUUSOO 空想 - Turn your model wishes into reality

[Fritzy]

The Invisible Hand project has reached 9,000 supporters. At the rate it's going, I'm sure it'll make 10,000 before May 5th.

[Lyichir]

Sure, my thinking goes like this:

1) We know they are making sequels of The Lego Movie.

2) And those sequels will feature more lands and characters from Castle, Pirates, Space themes, etc.

3) But not every spaceman will have a broken helmet. (In fact, we can clearly see in the concept art that they are showing a non-broken classic style helmet.)

4) So they will do a new mold of a non-broken classic style helmet for the rest of the space explorers.

5) And if it is ready to go, then they would probably just go ahead and include it in the Cuusoo Exo-Suit set. (Exactly as it is plainly shown in the concept art.)

And so I am just looking at what is plainly shown in the concept art, and not focusing on the logo so much. The original Cuusoo design made it clear from the start that it would be a Classic Space figure... but official sketches showing a new helmet mold, and the teasing possibility of a re-booted theme are new revelations. If so, it makes absolute sense. I am guessing that the second movie (circa 2017) will focus on Castle, and the third movie (circa 2020) will focus on Space. This gives them a chance to start creating space nostalgia and making money immediately...

And then they will do it again after a few years, and make even more!

Go Lego!

Well, I doubt the Lego movie sequel will focus on one theme any more than the first movie did, and Warner Bros. is technically only signed for one sequel (although if they wanted to make it a trilogy they've still got plenty of time to extend the license). I do think that the Lego Movie sequel would make a more compelling case for a remolded Classic Space helmet (since it's true that we might see some of Benny's friends and family), but I wouldn't put money on a full Classic Space reboot, or even a retooled helmet, just yet. While this Cuusoo proposal shows promise, we haven't even seen what elements of it have made it to the final model yet, so it's too early to tell what ideas will be discarded and what ideas could be expanded into a full theme.

[The Real Indiana Jones]

The original CuuSoo project design featured a true classic spaceman. But he has one of the best known collections of pristine classic space figures (seriously he has a book out. "Lego Space". ) using the classic guy is nice for presentation, but it will end up using modern parts for production.

Oh yes, I have seen lots of images from Peter Reid's book... But for the Cuusoo project proposal, you can see that he had to use the mold that is currently in production, simply because that is the strict rule on Cuusoo against suggesting new molds. So the fact that they are sketching a new helmet is interesting. I have a feeling they will make a new classic helmet, mostly for the Lego Movie sequels, and secondarily as a Cuusoo bonus.

And whether or not it turns into a rebooted theme depends entirely on the sales numbers, of course, just like any other set in the universe. I think it will be the next MineCraft, as I am optimistic by nature. And History is populated by people who said "no, it will never happen" until it did.

So far, we know just that the AFOL focus group saw "something that made them squee" that they can not reveal! What do YOU think it was?

Edited April 17, 2014 by The Real Indiana Jones

[Gremer]

The Invisible Hand project has reached 9,000 supporters. At the rate it's going, I'm sure it'll make 10,000 before May 5th.

Would they accept it? I haven't kept up with CUUSOO in some time, but I remember that LEGO said they won't consider projects based on existing licenses.

[Faefrost]

Would they accept it? I haven't kept up with CUUSOO in some time, but I remember that LEGO said they won't consider projects based on existing licenses.

They won't accept projects based on existing licenses held by competitors. But they hold Star Wars. The problem is existing licenses within Lego adds all sorts of complications. The chances of it making it through review are pretty much a narrow strip between slim and none. Lucas and Disney has an unquestionable veto. A similar subject just did very poorly on shelves. its very very big for a CuuSoo set. Too many minifigs. And it is something Lucasfilms might already consider to be under the existing license contract with no expectation of third party involvement.

[Blondie-Wan]

I wonder how Indiana Jones things will fare, if and when any make it to 10,000 votes. OTOH it's an existing LEGO licensed theme, licensed from a partner with whom TLG already has a long-running partnership, but at the same time it's not currently active, though it was actively fairly recently and TLG may still technically hold the rights even now, even if they're not using them. I've voted for some Indy projects, just in case...

[Faefrost]

So far, we know just that the AFOL focus group saw "something that made them squee" that they can not reveal! What do YOU think it was?

I thought it was pretty clear that the "something that made them squee" was an image of Mark Stafford's "not yet finalized" Exo Suit design. The writer said that they were not able to get "hands on" with the finalized design, but they did see a picture.

Everything in that article is 100% about the CuuSoo Exo Suit and has no information at all regarding internal Space themes. Even that marketing concept art sketch is described as seeking a "modern riff on classic 70's and 80's space themes". So they are going for an update. The concept sketch actually shows a more modern helmet with a visor.

The one definite thing we do now know. If you read the comments in the article, Mark Stafford commented that the new mini ball and socket joints were still limited to the Chima legend beasts and Mixels when he made the Exo Suit design, so it does not use them.

[The Real Indiana Jones]

...Everything in that article is 100% about the CuuSoo Exo Suit and has no information at all regarding internal Space themes...

Very true! My imagination runs wild sometimes. Whatever it is, I am sure it will be excellent.

In the meantime, I have lost track of what sets are still under review. The Cuusoo Site lists the winners, and it lists the ones that have been decided, but it does not give a full list of all the ones that are still under consideration. Can someone give us all a re-cap, or is there a blog page that keeps track of it? I thought that GlenBricker has a permanent page for that, but I don't see one.

Edited April 18, 2014 by The Real Indiana Jones

[Blondie-Wan]

Very true! My imagination runs wild sometimes. Whatever it is, I am sure it will be excellent.

In the meantime, I have lost track of what sets are still under review. The Cuusoo Site lists the winners, and it lists the ones that have been decided, but it does not give a full list of all the ones that are still under consideration. Can someone give us all a re-cap, or is there a blog page that keeps track of it? I thought that GlenBricker has a permanent page for that, but I don't see one.

There is indeed an official LEGO CUUSOO blog. The next two sets to be released are the Exo-suit, which passed review back in October of last year, and Ghostbusters, which passed review in January of this year. One would normally expect them to therefore be released in that order, but they're actually coming out the other way around - at least partly to get the Ghostbusters set out in June, right on time for the movie's 30th anniversary, and perhaps partly because it required much less development than the Exo-suit did to turn it into a viable commercial set. Ghostbusters will be out in June, and the Exo-suit in August, I think.

The review batch featuring the aforementioned Ghostbusters is the latest one for which we have results. The Female Minifigure Set from that same batch is still under consideration, while the other projects from that batch have all been declined. The batch after that features these projects:

Sherlock

Macross VF-1 Valkyrie +Fast Pack / Armored Parts

Legend of Zelda: Iron Knuckle Encounter

Japanese Old Style Architecture

Adventure Time

Back to the Future UCS DeLorean Time Machine

The results of this review period are set to be announced in "late spring," so we could find out at any time now.

[Fritzy]

Considering the deadline for the current window is May 5th, should we expect results from the previous one before that? Maybe the beginning of May?

Side note: Really hoping they see the potential in an Adventure Time theme.

[The Real Indiana Jones]

There is indeed an official LEGO CUUSOO blog. The next two sets to be released are the Exo-suit, which passed review back in October of last year, and Ghostbusters, which passed review in January of this year. One would normally expect them to therefore be released in that order, but they're actually coming out the other way around - at least partly to get the Ghostbusters set out in June, right on time for the movie's 30th anniversary, and perhaps partly because it required much less development than the Exo-suit did to turn it into a viable commercial set. Ghostbusters will be out in June, and the Exo-suit in August, I think.

The review batch featuring the aforementioned Ghostbusters is the latest one for which we have results. The Female Minifigure Set from that same batch is still under consideration, while the other projects from that batch have all been declined. The batch after that features these projects:

Sherlock

Macross VF-1 Valkyrie +Fast Pack / Armored Parts

Legend of Zelda: Iron Knuckle Encounter

Japanese Old Style Architecture

Adventure Time

Back to the Future UCS DeLorean Time Machine

The results of this review period are set to be announced in "late spring," so we could find out at any time now.

Ah, yes, thanks for the reminder! It's been so many months of waiting for info, I am starting to forget how the system works!

And so the Exo-Suit still doesn't have an official set number in BrickSet yet? Set 21107 will actually be "MineCraft: The End".

Edited April 18, 2014 by The Real Indiana Jones

[Dharkan]

I'm pretty sure Exo Suit will have really poor sales. There could have been tons of other projects to be accepted instead of that one.

[Faefrost]

There is indeed an official LEGO CUUSOO blog. The next two sets to be released are the Exo-suit, which passed review back in October of last year, and Ghostbusters, which passed review in January of this year. One would normally expect them to therefore be released in that order, but they're actually coming out the other way around - at least partly to get the Ghostbusters set out in June, right on time for the movie's 30th anniversary, and perhaps partly because it required much less development than the Exo-suit did to turn it into a viable commercial set. Ghostbusters will be out in June, and the Exo-suit in August, I think.

The review batch featuring the aforementioned Ghostbusters is the latest one for which we have results. The Female Minifigure Set from that same batch is still under consideration, while the other projects from that batch have all been declined. The batch after that features these projects:

Sherlock

Macross VF-1 Valkyrie +Fast Pack / Armored Parts

Legend of Zelda: Iron Knuckle Encounter

Japanese Old Style Architecture

Adventure Time

Back to the Future UCS DeLorean Time Machine

The results of this review period are set to be announced in "late spring," so we could find out at any time now.

There is one flaw in CuuSoo's presentation. The CuuSoo blog does not yet reflect sets that have hit the review threshold during this still open review period. So until the end of the deadline for the Spring, some sets that hit 10k will seem to sort of disappear. Some may show on the banner, but not all.

[TheNerdyOne_]

I'm pretty sure Exo Suit will have really poor sales. There could have been tons of other projects to be accepted instead of that one.

The Exo Suit didn't get accepted instead of the others, the others didn't get accepted for other reasons. It's not like people that were originally planning to get it won't because another project didn't get accepted.

[Sarah]

Isn't the Birds theme in the review queue too?

[Fritzy]

It is, but for the current period (still open for entries).

[Blondie-Wan]

Considering the deadline for the current window is May 5th, should we expect results from the previous one before that? Maybe the beginning of May?

Maybe. They just say "late spring," which could be in May, or sometime this afternoon.

Side note: Really hoping they see the potential in an Adventure Time theme.

You and I both! I voted for that one myself.

Ah, yes, thanks for the reminder! It's been so many months of waiting for info, I am starting to forget how the system works!

And so the Exo-Suit still doesn't have an official set number in BrickSet yet? Set 21107 will actually be "MineCraft: The End".

Yeah, I see they used the numbers we'd have expected them to use for CUUSOO for the later Minecraft sets instead, even though only the first one is considered a CUUSOO set. It's like the 211xx numbering scheme is now shared by the CUUSOO and Minecraft themes.

21108 will be the Ghostbusters set, so I assume the Exo-suit will be 21109.

I'm pretty sure Exo Suit will have really poor sales. There could have been tons of other projects to be accepted instead of that one.

A bunch of people in the Sci-Fi forum (for starters) respectfully beg to differ. I haven't even seen the final model, but I imagine I'd love to get a couple copies myself.

There is one flaw in CuuSoo's presentation. The CuuSoo blog does not yet reflect sets that have hit the review threshold during this still open review period. So until the end of the deadline for the Spring, some sets that hit 10k will seem to sort of disappear. Some may show on the banner, but not all.

I'm guessing that's the sort of thing that'll be taken care of when it officially goes out of beta.

[Dharkan]

The Exo Suit didn't get accepted instead of the others, the others didn't get accepted for other reasons. It's not like people that were originally planning to get it won't because another project didn't get accepted.

Well either you're misinterpreting my sentences or your english isn't too good.

But anyway, that was "clearly" not what I meant. The projects that didn't make the cut were better than this one, some of them at least. I'm a sci-fi and a mecha fan but I find Exo Suit as a gray colored mess of Lego bricks.

[rob-cubed]

I dunno, I'm not a SF/Mech fan at all... but I still want the exo-suit. It has just the right balance of greebling, retro space, and all-around cool factor. This is the first CUUSOO that should appeal to both kids and adults.

[TheNerdyOne_]

Well either you're misinterpreting my sentences or your english isn't too good.

But anyway, that was "clearly" not what I meant. The projects that didn't make the cut were better than this one, some of them at least. I'm a sci-fi and a mecha fan but I find Exo Suit as a gray colored mess of Lego bricks.

It was your use of the word "instead" that threw me off, made it seem like you were saying that the Exo Suit was accepted instead of the others.

Either way, I doubt the Exo Suit will sell badly, especially since they seem to be going along with the Classic Space tie-in. We haven't seen the final product yet, I wouldn't judge it base on how the fan model looks.

[BrickG]

Exo-suit won't sell nearly as well as the other Cuusoos. I was surprised it was accepted. Cuusoo will probably continue to be more and more about franchises. They just plain sell better most of the time.

[Super Goblin]

If a satellite and a Mars Rover can sell I think a exo suit can do well. As long as they don't change the exo suit to look like a Hero Factory fig or one of those Ninjago mechs I'll be picking it up.

[Blondie-Wan]

Well either you're misinterpreting my sentences or your english isn't too good.

But anyway, that was "clearly" not what I meant. The projects that didn't make the cut were better than this one, some of them at least. I'm a sci-fi and a mecha fan but I find Exo Suit as a gray colored mess of Lego bricks.

Well, as incredible as this may seem, it's possible not every LEGO fan agrees with you. Shocking, I know.

Moreover, whether other projects were "better" than this one or not, it still doesn't mean they would have been approved. Projects get declined for various reasons, and all the projects that were declined at the same time this one passed had various strikes against them - the Legend of Zelda one would have called for special molds, Purdue Pete and Andy the Android are both mascots which TLG has decided it doesn't want to do, Space Troopers was essentially a slight variation on an existing current theme, the Batmobile Tumbler was something they already offer in an extant theme, Portal and League of Legends are probably a little too "mature players only" for LEGO, and the Mini Shops would have entailed licensing not one but several different outside brands, at least one of which is probably resistant to letting another company make toys of its stores... the list goes on. If the Exo-suit hadn't gotten approved, it's conceivable it would just have meant that nothing got approved out of those batches, rather than something other than the Exo-suit getting approved.

[Faefrost]

Exo-suit won't sell nearly as well as the other Cuusoos. I was surprised it was accepted. Cuusoo will probably continue to be more and more about franchises. They just plain sell better most of the time.

It won't sell as well as Minecraft, BttF or Ghostbusters. It will probably sell substantially better than the Hayabusa, and will probably beat the Curiosity set in total sales. (I don't count the Shinkai as that was a local Japanese market only set) They tend to do fairly well with their SF and Action themed mechs. It probably wont be a theme generating breakout hit. But it will bring back more than enough to be a worthwhile and profitable product. While at the same time expanding the overall niche and allure of the CuuSoo crowd sourcing project.

It also has some creative and marketing synergy going on with it. It is landing at the point where the Lego movie and Benny have generated some new fan interest in classic space, backed by the "Lego Space" book which the CuuSoo project is featured in. (Someone had asked above how the book didn't violate the CuuSoo rules regarding outside profit from a project. Simple. The book isn't about the set. The set, as a MOC is simply featured as an image in the book. TLG would view that more as a synergistic type of thing and free marketing. Not a separate profit stream. If the book had been about the Exo Suit and included instructions for it, that would be another matter.)

As far as why they swapped places in the expected release schedule between Ghostbusters and the Exo Suit. That isn't exactly hard to figure out. The Ecto 1 is basically a fairly common car, and the CuuSoo project model did not require a huge amount of design and engineering. What design challenges there were were not that unexpected or unusual. Plus things like Logo's and graphics were already extant as it is a licensed property. So turn around time for it was probably pretty short. whereas the Exo Suit was more designed as a display MOC, and needed a lot more design work to convert it to a viable toy product. And as a re omagining of a classic Lego subject it would need a bit more work on art, back story, and similar minor production details. Flipping the sets let them give the Exo Suit the time it needed without bogging down or backlogging the production schedule.

[sithewok]

I think the exo suit will sell quite well, personally. Guess it's hard to predict since we haven't seen the final product yet, but I see a lot of excitement for it around.

Still pulling for the x-mansion,but I doesn't look like it will hit the needed votes for this period.