Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[Lion King]

That piece counts sound very nice to me.  Can’t wait for more details. 

[BrickFit26]

Since there is hardly room for a garden in some of the modulars, I'd like to see a roof top garden or even a small green house up on the roof. 

[Maple]

10 hours ago, Citromon said:

Ok, so Promobricks just came with this info: Set number 10312, 2899 pieces, 229.99 euros

At least, I like the number of pieces)

Police Station - 2923 pieces for $200
Hotel - 3066 pieces for $200/$230

I'd be happier with the piece count if LEGO didn't get greedy. For $230 I want many more pieces.

[Lion King]

21 hours ago, BrickFit26 said:

Since there is hardly room for a garden in some of the modulars, I'd like to see a roof top garden or even a small green house up on the roof. 

Or a secret garden behind building like a small courtyard. 

[BrickFit26]

A garden like that would be nice too.

[Vindicare]

On 10/15/2022 at 4:28 PM, Maple said:

Police Station - 2923 pieces for $200
Hotel - 3066 pieces for $200/$230

I'd be happier with the piece count if LEGO didn't get greedy. For $230 I want many more pieces.

This is what concerns me, that they’ll price me out of the Modulars...one way or the other. I’m not quite sure yet where that threshold lies, but it would rely a lot on the build. I’ll use the Justifier & Sweet Mayhem’s Systar Starship. The Justifier is outrageously priced for what you get($170 for just over 1000 pieces & 4 minifigs). I was leaning towards buying it but then I decided to read some reviews in hopes that it would sway me in the right direction. It did the opposite... then Sweet Mayhem. Also overpriced but I felt it was okay as the build was solid & feels like I got my money’s worth. 

[24nolf]

On 10/15/2022 at 5:28 PM, Maple said:

Police Station - 2923 pieces for $200
Hotel - 3066 pieces for $200/$230

I'd be happier with the piece count if LEGO didn't get greedy. For $230 I want many more pieces.

Piece count is a meaningless data point and should be banned from discussions. Lego modulars have suffered from extreme shrinkflation in recent years.

For example: The Bookshop has 2504 pieces and is missing roughly 30% of the build including the books. The Grand Emporium has 2182 prices and is a full build with roughly 40% more plastic than The Bookshop. Most of the recent modulars were clearly cut down after being designed and suffer from obvious omissions. The Bookshop is an extreme example but The Police Station and Hotel both suffer from this as well. The amount of plastic, while not a perfect data point is at least helpful. Pretending that "piece count" is a valuable metric is like comparing revenue numbers from 20 years apart (inflation makes the comparison a joke). 

Edited October 17, 2022 by 24nolf

[ReplicaOfLife]

21 hours ago, 24nolf said:

Piece count is a meaningless data point and should be banned from discussions. Lego modulars have suffered from extreme shrinkflation in recent years.

For example: The Bookshop has 2504 pieces and is missing roughly 30% of the build including the books. The Grand Emporium has 2182 prices and is a full build with roughly 40% more plastic than The Bookshop. Most of the recent modulars were clearly cut down after being designed and suffer from obvious omissions. The Bookshop is an extreme example but The Police Station and Hotel both suffer from this as well. The amount of plastic, while not a perfect data point is at least helpful. Pretending that "piece count" is a valuable metric is like comparing revenue numbers from 20 years apart (inflation makes the comparison a joke). 

Yep.

For a company that's famous for making plastic bricks, they sure are very scrimpy when it comes to putting actual decent-sized bricks in the boxes they want more and more money for. Sure, we'll get dozens if not hundreds of 1x1 greebly bits, but compared to the really old modulars, all the last ones were very poor in terms of how many actual, decent-sized bricks were in there. Buildings keep getting thinner and lower.

Very bad direction they've been taking.

 

For 230€, I'd want something the size of Green Grocer with the level of detail of the Parisian Restaurant. Which easily could be done with 3000 pieces. Instead, I'll propably get a building sized somewhere between the Book Shop and the Downtown Diner with maybe 8-10 studs in depth, whose interior walls (if existent...) won't even reach the ceiling. 

[Sunseeker21]

26 minutes ago, ReplicaOfLife said:

Yep.

For a company that's famous for making plastic bricks, they sure are very scrimpy when it comes to putting actual decent-sized bricks in the boxes they want more and more money for. Sure, we'll get dozens if not hundreds of 1x1 greebly bits, but compared to the really old modulars, all the last ones were very poor in terms of how many actual, decent-sized bricks were in there. Buildings keep getting thinner and lower.

Very bad direction they've been taking.

 

For 230€, I'd want something the size of Green Grocer with the level of detail of the Parisian Restaurant. Which easily could be done with 3000 pieces. Instead, I'll propably get a building sized somewhere between the Book Shop and the Downtown Diner with maybe 8-10 studs in depth, whose interior walls (if existent...) won't even reach the ceiling. 

😂

Video games and their DLC structure coming soon to Modulars with floor to ceiling interior wall packs

Kinda what happens already with fine tuned buidlings via rebrickable and then purchase of extra bricks via bricklink

[jus1973]

I think that the modulars have evolved from the earlier, more simple designs, into more intricate and part dense ones.  Meaning part counts rise, but size shrinks.  Add in the rising costs globally, and I’m surprised that the part count rumoured hasn’t increased the cost to 250 or more.  

I don’t like it, but if I’m to continue my modular town, I’m going to have to dig deeper into my piggy bank.

[AFOLguy1970]

There is definite shrinkflation going on with a lot of sets and themes.  At $230, this modular needs to be impressive.  I have some VIP points I can use to ease the sticker shock, but the cost is now getting to the point where I really have to be careful.  I get the fact that costs are going up, both with materials and shipping, however most of our paychecks have not kept up with inflation.  Unfortunately, large premium sets are at far greater risk of being on the chopping block when it comes to my budget.  In addition to modulars, would love to have the Titanic and probably the soon to be announced Eiffel Tower, but unless something unexpected happens, they will remain a pipe dream.  

Agree with other comments that piece count does not tell the whole story.  Earlier modulars had a lot more 1x4, 1x6, and 1x8 bricks to give them some mass.  Now, there are a lot more smaller parts.  The trade off was obviously more details for a reduced size.  The heights of the buildings are noticeably shorter compared to earlier structures.  I love the BH, but that upper level really seemed a bit short.  There have been some interesting "tricks" in the past used in order to get piece count down, notably the incomplete walls (BB,PS), making two tall levels as opposed to three levels (FB, PC, BB), and an unfurnished interior under the guise of being renovated (looking at you, Pet Shop).  Newer buildings often have a tendency to have a smaller footprint as well.  There is no telling what we will get for $230.  I really hope they focus on the exterior and not devote a lot of parts on some unnecessary storyline, an unwanted vehicle, or something else controversial.  

[Lion King]

3 hours ago, jus1973 said:

 I don’t like it, but if I’m to continue my modular town, I’m going to have to dig deeper into my piggy bank.

I think you should plot a robbery at Brick Bank. 

[Maple]

On 10/17/2022 at 2:39 PM, 24nolf said:

Piece count is a meaningless data point and should be banned from discussions. Lego modulars have suffered from extreme shrinkflation in recent years.

For example: The Bookshop has 2504 pieces and is missing roughly 30% of the build including the books. The Grand Emporium has 2182 prices and is a full build with roughly 40% more plastic than The Bookshop. Most of the recent modulars were clearly cut down after being designed and suffer from obvious omissions. The Bookshop is an extreme example but The Police Station and Hotel both suffer from this as well. The amount of plastic, while not a perfect data point is at least helpful. Pretending that "piece count" is a valuable metric is like comparing revenue numbers from 20 years apart (inflation makes the comparison a joke). 

I agree. But we know that LEGO won't be using bigger pieces like in Cafe Corner or Green Grocer, they will be using the modern style which is super detailed, but smaller parts with less pieces / plastic.

Which brings up a good point, maybe we should start weighing the sets. 

 

[RichardGoring]

1 hour ago, AFOLguy1970 said:

I really hope they focus on the exterior and not devote a lot of parts on some unnecessary storyline, an unwanted vehicle, or something else controversial.  

But here's the problem for LEGO, because I really like it when they have a story in it. Brick Bank is possibly my favourite, for the money laundering storyline. The balancing act is tricky because you don't want to overdo one thing too much.

24 minutes ago, Maple said:

I agree. But we know that LEGO won't be using bigger pieces like in Cafe Corner or Green Grocer, they will be using the modern style which is super detailed, but smaller parts with less pieces / plastic.
Which brings up a good point, maybe we should start weighing the sets. 

It's not a bad metric. JANG uses his 'volume of stuff', and there are sometimes arguments about weight being a good proxy for value. Although it's possibly useful to compare set to set, it doesn't take into account whether it's a terrible design, or poorly thought through idea (recent Marvel sets, for example). I just hope it's good and they don't jump the shark by trying anything that looks like it's come from a focus group...

[Agent 86]

5 hours ago, AFOLguy1970 said:

  I really hope they focus on the exterior and not devote a lot of parts on some unnecessary storyline, an unwanted vehicle, or something else controversial.  

Absolutely! I may be in the minority, but once built I very rarely look at the interiors ever again. But, the exterior is on display daily on my shelves. That is where I would prefer to see more “value” in terms of the size of the Modular. 
 

The Green Grocer is the near perfect level of interior detail for me - plenty to see through the large glass windows on the ground floor and enough upstairs to clearly “suggest” the residential purpose. 

[Kalahari134]

17 hours ago, Sunseeker21 said:

😂

Video games and their DLC structure coming soon to Modulars with floor to ceiling interior wall packs

Kinda what happens already with fine tuned buidlings via rebrickable and then purchase of extra bricks via bricklink

Train fans have been asking for expansion packs (i.e. extra wagons) for years now. 

[Lion King]

I wonder if TLG will release GWP for the next Modular set. Like they did with Vintage Taxi for Boutique Hotel. 

[Maple]

22 minutes ago, DBlegonerd7 said:

I wonder if TLG will release GWP for the next Modular set. Like they did with Vintage Taxi for Boutique Hotel. 

Brick Clicker says there will be a modular tie in for February GWP.

2 hours ago, Kalahari134 said:

Train fans have been asking for expansion packs (i.e. extra wagons) for years now. 

But LEGO claims they don't sell well enough to produce. 

But I'm sure a $500 HP train that doesn't run and a $550 HulkBuster will sell just fine... 

13 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

It's not a bad metric. JANG uses his 'volume of stuff', and there are sometimes arguments about weight being a good proxy for value. 

I do love that about his reviews, I've been doing that for years because I grew up in the 90s where LEGO had a bunch of very big specialized pieces, but the sets felt okay priced. Or at least I thought so at the time.

[Lion King]

Just curios - in USA only, did anyone find a discount to purchase Boutique Hotel?

[Follows Closely]

Modulars have historically been great value no matter what flawed metric you use. This rumored set containing 2899 pieces for 229.99 euros (using the flawed piece count metric) is better value that 92% of the sets available now. I'll buy the next modular even if it was $1,000.

#StopTheWhining

#InflationIsReal

 

 

 

 

[Lion King]

On 10/18/2022 at 6:17 PM, AFOLguy1970 said:

 I really hope they focus on the exterior and not devote a lot of parts on some unnecessary storyline, an unwanted vehicle, or something else controversial.  

If you want the designers to focus on exterior, you would get a 16 x 32 baseplate and you won’t get much interior to look at (seriously, you simply display them and you only cn see the facade). Or at least, buildings are completely empty inside….

 if you don’t want storyline, you won’t get minifigures in the set to tell stories outside and inside the buildings….

if you don’t want vehicles, city will be more difficult with transportation…

if you want set to be less consetovial, the set would be very plain, bland, cheap, and simple….

Oh look, it is not a Modular Building you are talking about. 

 

Edited October 22, 2022 by DBlegonerd7

[Maple]

On 10/20/2022 at 12:21 PM, Follows Closely said:

 I'll buy the next modular even if it was $1,000.

#crazy
#Youaretheproblem
#inflationiscorporategreed

Edited October 23, 2022 by Maple

[ncx]

going by Lego's previous pattern of release (Straight Straight Corner) the next modular will be a Straight/Inline model.

and going by weight would be a good metric since, if you look at train sets for example, the track alone raise the price of the set because of how big the parts are.

It's unfortunate that it's not a requirement that weight is on the box because that alone could help determine whether or not the piece count even has value since they can include pieces in that count that are already together (ie: minifigure hands, arms) I have thought about this more often since the price changes hit. Because the PPP is all over the place now, it typically was around 6-7cents for modulars, now it's between 8-10cents. Licensed is all over the place hitting double digits for some and not others.

Unless we get some insight into how Lego determines pricing from someone that works on the inside, we may never know.

[The Stud]

On 10/19/2022 at 9:33 AM, Maple said:

Brick Clicker says there will be a modular tie in for February GWP.

Ugh, why does Lego keep doing these Modular promos *after* release day when most of the hardcore Modular fans have already bought them? Granted, I wasn't planning on buying the 2023 Modular Building until later on after I get the Book Shop and Police Station sometime next year, but it's still an annoying trend. 

On 10/20/2022 at 12:21 PM, Follows Closely said:

Modulars have historically been great value no matter what flawed metric you use. This rumored set containing 2899 pieces for 229.99 euros (using the flawed piece count metric) is better value that 92% of the sets available now.

I agree with this part of your post. Yeah, price increases are annoying and I feel like most recent D2Cs have either been ridiculously overpriced or just really expensive. Creator sets seem to be the exception though, as they're still consistently great values. Would I be happier if the Modular Buildings remained in that $160-200 range they've mostly stuck at for the last eight or so years? Duh. But the Modular Buildings are fantastic sets regardless, so going from a great value to a really good value money-wise doesn't bother me nearly as much as most of Lego's other money-grabbing moves recently. The value is absolutely still there. 

[RichardGoring]

8 minutes ago, The Stud said:

Ugh, why does Lego keep doing these Modular promos *after* release day when most of the hardcore Modular fans have already bought them? Granted, I wasn't planning on buying the 2023 Modular Building until later on after I get the Book Shop and Police Station sometime next year, but it's still an annoying trend.

While annoying to those who buy the modulars early, it's good business sense for LEGO. Those who buy on release day will always buy on release day. Whereas there are plenty of others who wait, or may not be fully decided, and the GWP may be the thing that pushes them to buy, which is what LEGO wants. And/or those that have already bought a modular may get a second just for the GWP, which is also good for LEGO. Cynical, but that's pretty much why they produce GWPs (that, and getting people to buy direct from LEGO instead of other retailers which may discount).