MOC: LotR Advent Calendar

[Lancethecat]

After four months of designing, re-designing, parts-ordering, and building, I'm pleased to announce that my first LEGO Ideas project, the Lord of the Rings Advent Calendar, has finally been approved. Star Wars Advent Calendars have been immensely popular in the past, and I think that a Lord of the Rings A.C. would be even better.

My proposed project includes micromodels of famous Middle-Earth locations and two exclusive figures: Santa Gandalf and Old Bilbo. I know that many people on this forum want to see LEGO release a set with an Old Bilbo minifigure in it, but since we're unlikely to get a Bilbo's Birthday set in any upcoming waves, this may be the only way to get him.

You can check out individual pictures of all of the models in my Flickr photostream. If you want to see my Lord of the Rings Advent Calendar become a real set, please support it on LEGO Ideas!

Edited August 14, 2014 by WhiteFang
Removed LEGO Ideas in the topic title to prevent mislead

[MAB]

Although it is a nice idea, I'm not so sure they'd sell very well especially when you consider the sales of full ranges. Stick this up against Star Wars and the multitude of what seems to be barely recognizable ships and a few nice minifigs, and SW will still sell 10x more. Kids won't want it, would AFOLs display the builds? The Fell Beast is the highlight for me, the others although you can see what they are, I don't think I would display them.

With Legolas, Eomer, Gollum, Uruk-hai, Nazgul it is also a lot of repetition of what is past. Do you intend a new print for Gandalf, or just the now regular Santa with Gandalf's head and beard? Otherwise it is only really old Bilbo that is new.

Even if it did get to 10K in three months, timing is against it too. It wouldn't be done until Xmas 2015, missing the regular sets on the shelves, and possibly the end of the license too.

Sorry it sounds so negative, but I cannot see it going anywhere.

[AFOLguy1970]

Your microbuilds are quite good!

The main hurdle is to find a large enough audience. As someone stated before, we are a very loud minority. We are somewhat of a narrow band of AFOLS and older teens who happen to like Tolkein and/or have seen the movies.

The next biggest problem comes with the characters. Even the die hard fans are not going to want rehashes of main characters. Old Bilbo will work fine, and Santa Gandalf is surely what everyone expects. Although, I would switch the Santa hat for a red wizard hat. For me, and I realize I am but one opinion, to get my attention, you would need new characters in the set. Get me a Witch King, Gondor Soldier, Faramir, even Barliman Butterbur, and I will buy your set. I already have my Legolas, Gimli, Aragorn, and Frodo armies, so I dont need them. The fact that there is a no new mold rule on Lego Ideas is what really will hurt.

Nice designs though.

[Robert_88]

I love this idea!!!

[grum64]

Brilliant micro builds. I love them.

I'll be buying 3, one each for Jake & George and one for me.

[Borador]

I'm not sure about how well it'd sell, but I really love the builds and figures. Very nice.

[WhiteFang]

Lancethecat,

I will like to inform you that I have updated your topic title to reflect it is a MOC. It is to prevent members from being mislead or misinformed that this will be a product under the LEGO Ideas Theme. Thank you.

WhiteFang

[CastleDefender]

The micro build is nice esp Rivendell.

[kevkipo]

Great idea! Loving Santadalf

[Deathleech]

The micro builds are definitely creative and look good, but this could use more minifigures if it were to be more like an official advent calendar.

[Lancethecat]

The advent calendar actually includes seven minifigures, but I only posted pictures of Santa Gandalf and Old Bilbo because the others can be found in existing sets.

Although making more exclusive figures might not be such a bad idea... does anybody else think I should update the project with new characters like Faramir and Eowyn?

[LegoLOTR]

I would buy this! Love it... :D

[Lancethecat]

Does anyone know how to ask a staff member to create a poll? I'm thinking of adding a poll to this topic asking members which exclusive minifigures they want added to the calendar.

[Steph 104th]

PM Ecclesiastes, I'm sure he could help. Or rack up 400 posts to gain the function.

[Balbo]

Your calender is really lovely and absolutely amazing .

[Lancethecat]

I thought it would be fun to do a day-by-day "review" of this advent calendar, so up until Christmas Eve (or at least until I forget), I'm going to post a new model from the calendar each day.

Let's get started!

Day 1- Argonath

“Upon great pedestals founded in the deep waters stood two great kings of stone… The left hand of each was raised palm outwards in gesture of warning… upon each head there was a crumbling helm and crown.”

I thought the Pillars of the Kings would be a good way to start off the calendar because it's recognizable without being too iconic. I used Gandalf's torso to make the body, but in the final set I hope it will have a custom stone print.

Tune in tomorrow for more Middle-Earth goodness!

[Borador]

A very excellent figure indeed, and a perfect way to celebrate it being Christmas time. Looking forward to tomorrow's!

[Lancethecat]

Day 2-Legolas

You may be wondering why I don't have a picture of a Legolas minifigure here to show you, but the truth is that he's so common that I'm thinking of replacing him with an exclusive minifigure soon. Are there any Middle-Earth characters who you'd like to see made into minifigures? I'm thinking of making a snow Nazgul...

[Balbo]

It's really awesome that you are making this online LotR Advent Calender .

Faramir is one of my favourite characters, so I would love to him made into a minifigure.

A snow Nazgul sounds very nice

[Lancethecat]

Day 3- Black Gate of Mordor

"Upon the west of Mordor marched the gloomy range of Ephel Duath, the Mountains of Shadow, and upon the north the broken peaks and barren ridges of Ered Lithui, grey as ash But as these ranges approached one another, they swung out long arms northward; and between these arms thee was a deep defile. This was Cirith Gorgor, the Haunted Pass, the entrance to the land of the Enemy. High cliffs lowered upon either side, and thrust forward from its mouth were two sheer hlls, black-boned and bare. Upon them stood the Teeth of Mordor, two towers strong and tall… Across the mouth of the pass, from cliff to cliff, the Dark Lord had built a rampart of stone. In it there was a single gate of iron, and upon its battlement sentinels paced unceasingly."

This model can be split into two separate halves, just like the official Battle at the Black Gate set:

Edited December 6, 2014 by Lancethecat

[Lancethecat]

Day 4-Mount Doom

Day 5-Helm's Deep

This model was built to look like the Battle of Helm's Deep set. The wall is hinged so you can arrange it at an angle.

Edited December 7, 2014 by Lancethecat

[Lancethecat]

Day 6-Eomer

Today's the second minifigure placeholder day, but I'll replace Eomer with Eowyn once I find out how to make custom minifigures.

Day 7-Barrel of Wine

No hobbit party would be complete without a keg of Old Winyards. This model is an exact copy of the barrel from Frodo's Cooking Corner.

[A Hobbit Fellow]

Quite snazzy little builds you got there!

[Lancethecat]

Day 8- Bag End

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit...

Welcome to Bag End, where it all began! This model is based off the Unexpected Gathering set.

Day 9- Rohan Armory

People often complain when they see weapons racks in Star Wars advent calendars, so I tried to make mine look unique and interesting. This armory comes with a spear and shield for Theoden and a bow and arrow for Legolas.

Day 10- Rivendell

[plethorabricks]

This is really good. I would get one. Santa Gandalf, of course, with Legolas as his...uh...um...elf? (Day 2)

But how can this be branded as both an Ideas set and an Advent Calendar line set? How would that work with Lego themselves?