Modular Building Sets - Rumours and Discussion

[lightningtiger]

Australia is currently awash with Town Halls and also one major retailer advertising grand emporium today. http://i22.photobuck...zpsjs9dvjcv.jpg

GE is new......we all have news for them !

That's David Jones for you !

Not only TH's, but PC's and PS's too are in good stock levels now.....in Oz that is.

[Herky]

Please disclose info on January giveaway, I do have the calendar so plan on using that to get the minifigure but do not think that is what you meant.

Faefrost - um, well, no but I do have an old little metal spider-man that hangs out in the bell tower of the town hall

A corner bookstore would be cool too, but would you do individual books or just big block of book looking pieces that simulates books...either works, but no stickers

Birds - that would be cool...I am almost seeing the Kingdoms Joust set reused in a big arena style Medieval Times type restaurant, with what I envision, likely not a modular, but I would be good with those types of buildings too. Great ideas. We actually went to a Pirate Themed one of those in Los Angeles, was a great show and even the dinner was pretty good.

[danimarroquin]

Do you guys think they Would ever a chance to have a modular airport made by lego ???

If so , how do u think It Would turn out , Like a 60 s jet or propeller era ???

[Herky]

I was a big fan of the show Wings back in the day so that would be great to me, including a lunch counter for Helen and a small hanger for Lowell...Sandpiper Air

[Moebius118]

A minor concern of mine with the modulars is, as the new modular direction moves to incorporate more play features and stories, will it prevent the design and approval of more "boring" (possibly adult) structures such as libraries or offices? They would make hard establishments to create play features around however would have provided more in terms of architecture and structural presence.

The one thing I hope is that the modular line does not end up becoming LEGO City - The buildings.

Edited November 26, 2014 by Moebius118

[Herky]

The one thing I hope is that the modular line does not end up becoming LEGO City - The buildings.

Wholeheartedly agree, I know Off the Wall has also expressed similar and others too. I guess it is up to TLG to decide if they want a true AFOL type experience or a more child like one with this line. I would say DO looks to be the most child like offering in the line so far, and I know everyone extolls the great virtues of this Jamie guy and people tend to poo poo the Astrid designer, but the bottom line is that the sales of the set will likely drive the direction no matter who the designer is. I personally don't care who designs it and am not going to go looking for person X's designs over someone else like it seems that some do. I just want a good, fun product that will give me pleasure to build, I don't need a story or a mystery to go along with it. Others may feel this adds to it though and want that type of thing. We all may end up in 2 camps I guess.

I would say TLG is now in a position as the big kid on the block that can do no wrong at this point, #1 toy company and all...so this also means they can go nowhere but down off that position. Time will tell

[Rapseflaps]

The one thing I hope is that the modular line does not end up becoming LEGO City - The buildings.

That position has already been taken by the regular Creator sets.

[Moebius118]

Wholeheartedly agree, I know Off the Wall has also expressed similar and others too. I guess it is up to TLG to decide if they want a true AFOL type experience or a more child like one with this line. I would say DO looks to be the most child like offering in the line so far, and I know everyone extolls the great virtues of this Jamie guy and people tend to poo poo the Astrid designer, but the bottom line is that the sales of the set will likely drive the direction no matter who the designer is. I personally don't care who designs it and am not going to go looking for person X's designs over someone else like it seems that some do. I just want a good, fun product that will give me pleasure to build, I don't need a story or a mystery to go along with it. Others may feel this adds to it though and want that type of thing. We all may end up in 2 camps I guess.

Speaking of which, Astrid did not appear on the DO's creator design video intro. Does that mean she has moved on elsewhere? (This may be old developments for everyone else here)

Edited November 26, 2014 by Moebius118

[lightningtiger]

That position has already been taken by the regular Creator sets.

And what's wrong with that.....at least we are getting shops for our city layouts that city designers don't worry about.

Back on topic, I wonder if they'll stick to this 1930's theme or not......they should or it will stuff up JB's story line !

[BirdOPrey5]

Anyone's seen the train station modular on Ideas? https://ideas.lego.com/projects/85689

I never thought of putting the tracks right through the middle of the building but it certainly solves the issue of having to have train tracks in front of all your other modulars.

Edited November 26, 2014 by BirdOPrey5

[Jern92]

A corner bookstore would be cool too, but would you do individual books or just big block of book looking pieces that simulates books...either works, but no stickers

I figured lots of 1x1 tiles on their sides would look convincing as books on a shelf. A big block wouldn't look as nice.

[lightningtiger]

I figured lots of 1x1 tiles on their sides would look convincing as books on a shelf. A big block wouldn't look as nice.

Actually 1x2 tiles might be better for books on shelves.

I guess the next one will be released in say nine or ten months time.

[Sven F]

I guess it is up to TLG to decide if they want a true AFOL type experience or a more child like one with this line.

I think they want both, and trying to meet two sides of something in the middle is called compromise, and compromise means that everyone is a little bit happy, but nobody is very happy. Except LEGO doesn't run on happines as much as it does on profit, and profit is biggest where the target audience is widest.

DO will do ok now, but if in 2 years time, when more of the old modulars retire, and if sets that follow keep loosing on exterior visual appeal and size, I am safe to assume, a good number of AFOL's interest will drop out over time. But let's not be too quick to predict the future by what is so far a one-time deviation from what we are used to.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Sven F

[parksroad]

An FBI "Party Van" to go along with the Detectives Office bootleggers? Maybe a CSI scene of murder and mayhem? Rocco and Vinnie shaking down a pushcart pretzel pusher for protection?

What? Nobody else's modular cities have scenes like this? Bah! You people are boring. Proper Lego urban planning should resemble Mickey Spillaine helping Frank Miller write Batman... While drunk.

I'm also a display-and-leave-it type, but my partner always comes along and adds little macabre changes--stuck the French waiter's head in the dumpster behind the PR, put rats in the cooking pot, fed minifigs to (apparently amphibious) LEGO sharks... This may be why we get along so well...

[Gongoro73]

The one thing I hope is that the modular line does not end up becoming LEGO City - The buildings.

I agree. For me, DO has been a disappointment. The buildings are nicely rendered and, as always, there are some clever techniques. It's a very good set, but, as others have said, I see a departure to a more childish territory. I couldn't care less about the storyline, I just don't need it. I'm with Off the Wall here.

It's OK? Yes, of course. Jamie is a great designer.

It's mindblowing? Not for me.

I had high hopes on this, I was expecting a masterpiece, a darker set based on a film-noir style, very adult oriented, but instead, we have the more colorful building of the entire series. Seems odd. You just have to watch the video to see Jamie enjoying like a child with all the play features. I would have preferred advanced architecture developments instead of candy prohibition stories.

I will buy it, but I'm not fond of the path TLG has taken on this. Let's see how it evolves in future releases.

PS. I miss Off the Wall in DO's thread.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Gongoro73

[Rapseflaps]

And what's wrong with that.....at least we are getting shops for our city layouts that city designers don't worry about.

Hey, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It'd be a nice gesture if LEGO would sell these under the City banner, since homes and shops are, you know, what makes a city. But we're getting these buildings anyway, so nothing to complain about, really. :)

[attyttup]

Is it only me that watched modular videos on youtube, drooled, bought the modulars once they were released but never open them at all? I have 9 boxes stored nicely in my room. Anybody else did this?

Edited November 27, 2014 by attyttup

[LegoSjaak]

Is it only me that watched modular videos on youtube, drooled, bought the modulars once they were released but never open them at all? I have 9 boxes stored nicely in my room. Anybody else did this?

I hope you are the only one.. it is a pity that 9 precious boxes are still unopened... Please sell them, and let anyone build them and have fun with these sets.. now it is just dead money...waiting for another destination....

[Jern92]

Is it only me that watched modular videos on youtube, drooled, bought the modulars once they were released but never open them at all? I have 9 boxes stored nicely in my room. Anybody else did this?

I can never resist the temptation of building as well as you can. Usually I buy mine while they're on sale, keep them nicely until holidays, and then dig in!

[lightningtiger]

Hey, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It'd be a nice gesture if LEGO would sell these under the City banner, since homes and shops are, you know, what makes a city. But we're getting these buildings anyway, so nothing to complain about, really. :)

I totally agree with you 'Rapseflaps' !

So the guessing game beings early next year for the one after the DO......I wonder if there are any clues to the next one......ah, get Ace the P.I. to look into it !

[craiggrannell]

I hope you are the only one.. it is a pity that 9 precious boxes are still unopened... Please sell them, and let anyone build them and have fun with these sets.. now it is just dead money...waiting for another destination....

I have several unopened too (FB/GE/PS), bought because they were going out of stock at the time and I didn't want to miss out. I've had no time to build them, and I have nowhere to put them. But I'm also not going to sell them, even though I imagine FB at least would probably pay for itself and more already. Maybe I'll just hang on until mini-G's old enough for Lego and build them with the nipper.

[DD840]

I bought the PR last Thursday night online once double points were up, then called the store the next morning to see if they had stock. Yes, so I drove to the store and bought another one so I could build it that afternoon. I had a vague idea that I could set it aside for Christmas but knew I wasn't going to be able to wait. Now it's on my shelf and I'll have to return the other one when it gets here.

For people who were in our dark ages when modulars first came out, you guys with your unopened boxes are killing us. Unless I really love something I don't want to pay so much over retail to get them and I haven't even brinklinked a microbuild so recreating a modular is completely out of the question right now.

[Moebius118]

I agree. For me, DO has been a disappointment. The buildings are nicely rendered and, as always, there are some clever techniques. It's a very good set, but, as others have said, I see a departure to a more childish territory. I couldn't care less about the storyline, I just don't need it. I'm with Off the Wall here.

I had high hopes on this, I was expecting a masterpiece, a darker set based on a film-noir style, very adult oriented, but instead, we have the more colorful building of the entire series. Seems odd. You just have to watch the video to see Jamie enjoying like a child with all the play features. I would have preferred advanced architecture developments instead of candy prohibition stories.

I will buy it, but I'm not fond of the path TLG has taken on this. Let's see how it evolves in future releases.

PS. I miss Off the Wall in DO's thread.

Same. OTW accurately captured many aspects in which the modular series in its current trend would begin to alienate many of it's original AFOL audience. His problem however was in the manner in which he conveyed these viewpoints.

The current state of the compromise in DO does not bother me. I will probably be getting it day 1 due to all the potential it has to be made into something more. But when I saw these new play features being explained in the design video all I could think was oh no. If this current design is encouraged with the proper sales we will see the modular line's features continue to migrate away from fans like us. Then it will be a stretch of imagination to call any of it a "compromise".

I don't mind detailed interiors as much. I do mind the incorporation of play features however, which is wasted space and bricks for someone like me. Dare I say I actually wish the pricing was higher just so that we could have the possibility of even larger types of establishments like office buildings? Not a popular opinion to say the least.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Moebius118

[badbob001]

I have several unopened too (FB/GE/PS), bought because they were going out of stock at the time and I didn't want to miss out. I've had no time to build them, and I have nowhere to put them. But I'm also not going to sell them, even though I imagine FB at least would probably pay for itself and more already. Maybe I'll just hang on until mini-G's old enough for Lego and build them with the nipper.

I totally understand your situation. Before I start building a set, I must already have a place in mind to store it. I had a few modular buildings unopened until I had a cabinet ready for them. I've seen many photos of people's buildings on the kitchen counter or dining table and my first thoughts are:

• Bachelor
  or
  
• Evil-eye from spouse until 'toys' are removed
  

Edited November 27, 2014 by badbob001

[craiggrannell]

Mrs G actually encourages me to buy the stuff. She likes the look of the modulars, and was especially taken by the Parisian Restaurant. But, yeah, I'm not going to leave the things all over our dining room table or something, and there's currently naff-all room anywhere else.