Lego spies.....

[5150 Lego]

Ok, so we all know that Lego has this "anti-war/violence" policy with there toys, whitch is why we haven't seen any military vehicles, bases,or such. But lets be honest, Lego has been testing the fields with "violence" for some time now. For example....

Batman..

Batman has not nessasarly been specifically about violence, but it has always been asociated with it. Lego even has guns included in there sets. I know some have argued that there tommy guns, and not modern day weaponry, but that argument doesn't fly. Guns are guns. Period. Doesn't matter what time period there from.

Pirates..

Pirates preetry much reek of voilence, i mean there basicly robbers at sea. Also the imperials have guns as well.

Starwars...

The hole theme/story is based on a war. They as well have weapons. They are now including sets with weapons that actually fire. (the new star destoryer for example).

Dino..

Though that line wasn't very sucessful, it did employ alot of what lego said ther would never do. And i really don't beilve that was the reason it failed.

Anyways, lets get down to the new "spies" idea...

Now this doesn't even have to be about violence. In fact its not. It could be just about what the name implies. I think there are alot of possibilites with a line like this without being concidered a "violent" line. BUt i think that a line like this could open alot of doors to help lego go "outside the box" so to speak.

So lets start out with a couple examples.

A undercover van.....

This could be a 6 or even 8 wide van. It would have a plumbers, or some kind of delivery sticker on the outside, and on the inside would be computer servailnce equipment. Have 2 mini figs. One with a plumbers/workers uniform, and one in a suite and tie.

Undercover car...

Nothing big here, but a 4 or 6 wide suv (black in color maybe?) with a trunk that has some equipment like a suite case, binoculars, and a flash light. It would also have some low profile red and blue lights (this is under cover after all :-) )

Mobile Comand rig...

Simular in size to the Ferrari Scudera truck, but with a full command center inside. Maybe even have a spot inside to carry a couple motor cylces. This could have a slide out to give more room inside the trailer, and have some retactable antena's and radar dishes on the roof. Somthing simular has been done before. If i remember it was called "survailance Squad."

Spyplane..

A 2 person aircraft that is primarly designed for high altitude survailance. No weapons. A retartable landing gear would be a nice touch as well. It could also come with a small vehicle like in the new airport that would moce the plane around while on the ground.

Radarplane..

This could be an easyone. Use the same plane as the new Air liner, but put a bunch of computer equipment, and survailance equipment inside. ON the outside would be a large radardish. Defently a doable idea.

Stealth bomber..

This could be a "wing" or swept wing style large aircraft. A pilot, and co-pilot sidtting side by side, with a navagator/bombidier sitting behind them. There would of course be a bomb bay with .......bombs! X-O The door, and bombs could be activated with some kind of lever on the top. A retracable landing gear would be a nice touch.

Base camp...

This could be a hanger, building, preety mujch anything with some office space, a place to store a vehicle or two inside. This would also store all of the spies equipment, and of course be the main HQ. It would also have a seperate room for interagating prisoners, as well as a small jail.

A swat, or "comand team"

This would include a couple of militsry style humvees or jeeps, or even some heavy duty SUV's The agent's would have to have some kind of weapons, and the Hummvee's could have turents on the top with some kind of cannons. Possibly even ones that shoot. (this has arleady happened in past sets, so its nothing new.

So what do you guys think? I think this (or somthing like this) is very doable. It doesn't emply violence any more than any other theme meantioned, but explorers the posibility of introducing a line with a more "military" feel without actually crossing that line.

Edited June 16, 2007 by 5150 Lego

[UniqueBuilder]

Ok, so we all know that Lego has this "anti-war/violence" policy with there toys, whitch is why we haven't seen any military vehicles, bases,or such. But lets be honest, Lego has been testing the fields with "violence" for some time now. For example....

Batman..

Batman has not nessasarly been specifically about violence, but it has always been asociated with it. Lego even has guns included in there sets. I know some have argued that there tommy guns, and not modern day weaponry, but that argument doesn't fly. Guns are guns. Period. Doesn't matter what time period there from.

Pirates..

Pirates preetry much reek of voilence, i mean there basicly robbers at sea. Also the imperials have guns as well.

Starwars...

The hole theme/story is based on a war. They as well have weapons. They are now including sets with weapons that actually fire. (the new star destoryer for example).

Dino..

Though that line wasn't very sucessful, it did employ alot of what lego said ther would never do. And i really don't beilve that was the reason it failed.

Batman and Star Wars are licensed themes, TLC can't alter their story or characters. That's the reason those themes are relatively violent-ish.

As for Pirates, that's an old theme. My bet is that TLC abandoned it because it had the Human VS. Human-factor.

And Dino.. It was Human VS. Monster, as seen in many other themes, such as Exo-Force, Alpha Team, Mars Mission and the new Castle sets.

That's the direction TLC wants to go, they want to avoid the Human VS Human thing.. :-/

Sadly, your ideas violate the Anti-Human VS Human policy.. So you just have to face it, it WILL NOT happen. :-(

As for your ideas.. They would be great for AFOL's and TFOL's, if they were done right, and not in the Alpha Team-style. :-X

I would love those sets, but it's NOT doable. Sadly. :-/

[zouave]

I think they used spies in the police theme.I saw someone with night vision goggles for thier figs.

[5150 Lego]

Batman and Star Wars are licensed themes, TLC can't alter their story or characters. That's the reason those themes are relatively violent-ish.

As for Pirates, that's an old theme. My bet is that TLC abandoned it because it had the Human VS. Human-factor.

And Dino.. It was Human VS. Monster, as seen in many other themes, such as Exo-Force, Alpha Team, Mars Mission and the new Castle sets.

That's the direction TLC wants to go, they want to avoid the Human VS Human thing.. :-/

Sadly, your ideas violate the Anti-Human VS Human policy.. So you just have to face it, it WILL NOT happen. :-(

As for your ideas.. They would be great for AFOL's and TFOL's, if they were done right, and not in the Alpha Team-style. :-X

I would love those sets, but it's NOT doable. Sadly. :-/

But here's the problem. Licensed theme or not, Lego is violating its own "policy". You can be in denial just as much as i am optimistic about seeing a military theme. Its happening right in front of your eyes. And lets say that they did in fact want to stay away from "human vs. human", i don't see why a USC tank, airplane, or humvee /Jeep couldn't be made. I'm not saying that it will happen, but it seems every year they come a hare bit closer.

[ApophisV]

Batman and Star Wars are licensed themes, TLC

if TLC's company policy would be as strict they shouldn't have gotten the licenses then! Or keep up the abstract character of the sets (i.e. megaphones instead of blasters,...).

TLC's policy in this case is as weird as all other aspects of their policy. They lie ("10130 is NO TIE collection!"), they say things they change afterwards ("No more licenses from now on!"), they pretend to produce child-friendly products only (with lots of heavy weaponery in many themes like Dino Attack, Exo-Force, Batman,...).

I could expand this to their economic policy (delivering many months in advance instead keeping up the catalogue's dates, sizing down the amount of produced sets to create delivery shortages in the christmas time, failcalculations for outputs in general, set availability for the different countries, weird pricing over the globe,... etc etc etc)

TLC's wheels isn't round anymore since many years, it's more like a spooky, spikey, weird shaped thing that doesn't even roll in a straight direction anymore. Sorry, as much as I love the idea behind LEGO I dislike the company that produces it. The only thing that keeps me from broading my spectrum of construction toys to MB and competitors is the quality of the material, the quality of the ideas is already gone since many years IMO. |-/

Bitching OFF

[JINZONINGEN73]

Dino..

Though that line wasn't very sucessful, it did employ alot of what lego said ther would never do. And i really don't beilve that was the reason it failed.

Crappy, one-piece dinosaurs of rubber.

[Shine]

I suppose they could do something along the lines of Human VS. Alien/evil creature of choice in disguise as Humans(to avoid H vs. H). Using those double-sided heads that TLC is becoming so fond of, they could have one side be Mr. John Q Public, and the other be some crazy-megablocks monster.

[iamded]

Like Men in Black! :-D Anywho... I think your proposed set ideas are great. They could be the next wave of police Lego. :-/

Edited June 18, 2007 by iamded

[natelite]

If you ask me, there are lots of themes lego can use without having to resort to violence. How about a space/futuristic civilian theme? How about a medieval civilian theme? I think they are just afraid to launch something so contrarian to today's pop culture of violence.

I mean the present police theme involves human vs human conflicts. But some of the humans were clearly bad (criminals). So what's wrong with a space civilian theme, like space police? We can also incorporate space civilian buildings too, like space mining, space refueling station, space bank, space trading market (for crystals or other goods exchange).

I have been saying this for a while now, but will iterate here too. I think a space/futuristic theme can actually be popular. Just make sure there are lots of good mix of civilians, including aliens. It actually helps to promote tolerance in society, ie not to discriminate based on physical attributes. In fact with the current MM theme, it is actually worse in that it promotes violence against different race: aliens vs humans. What does that say about being tolerant to those who are different from us?

I know that without conflicts, sets just wont sell, so why not create a futuristic conflict theme based on criminals (space pirates!) vs law enforcers (space police!). And instead of making it human vs human, just make it faction vs faction (ie pirates vs police). I mean not every alien is evil, so why even have the human vs alien conflict in mission mars? Just make sure to have the bad guys hoist the pirate signs all over the vehicle to distinguish between the baddies and the goodies.

[xwingyoda]

Isn't that theme really bland ?? I don't understand the purpose of it really: who would want bland vehicles ?

However I do like that SWAT idea but unfortunatly never going to happen :-/

*yoda*

[Asuka]

We can also incorporate space civilian buildings too, like space mining, space refueling station, space bank, space trading market (for crystals or other goods exchange).

I have been saying this for a while now, but will iterate here too. I think a space/futuristic theme can actually be popular. Just make sure there are lots of good mix of civilians, including aliens. It actually helps to promote tolerance in society, ie not to discriminate based on physical attributes.

What a great theme with wonderful possibilities that could be.... yeah, a space market place,

with many neat aliens, I sure would buy something like that in a heartbeat.... *y*

And yes, 5150 Lego, a spies theme could work well I guess, I like your undercover van idea,

a spy with a plumber overall, that theme could be very nice. And maybe, with just a little

more humor included, TLC could be able to do something like that.... 8-|

[natelite]

isn't it? I even have a great story. Space rangers vs the pirate blackbeard.

in the year 2030AD, law enforcers are fighting the worst scourge in intergalactic history. Pirate blackbeard and his gang of evil raiders have invaded all walks of peaceful civilization. Will you help the space rangers and free the galaxies from the scourge and return peace to the galaxies?

[5150 Lego]

If you ask me, there are lots of themes lego can use without having to resort to violence. How about a space/futuristic civilian theme? How about a medieval civilian theme? I think they are just afraid to launch something so contrarian to today's pop culture of violence.

I mean the present police theme involves human vs human conflicts. But some of the humans were clearly bad (criminals). So what's wrong with a space civilian theme, like space police? We can also incorporate space civilian buildings too, like space mining, space refueling station, space bank, space trading market (for crystals or other goods exchange).

I have been saying this for a while now, but will iterate here too. I think a space/futuristic theme can actually be popular. Just make sure there are lots of good mix of civilians, including aliens. It actually helps to promote tolerance in society, ie not to discriminate based on physical attributes. In fact with the current MM theme, it is actually worse in that it promotes violence against different race: aliens vs humans. What does that say about being tolerant to those who are different from us?

I know that without conflicts, sets just wont sell, so why not create a futuristic conflict theme based on criminals (space pirates!) vs law enforcers (space police!). And instead of making it human vs human, just make it faction vs faction (ie pirates vs police). I mean not every alien is evil, so why even have the human vs alien conflict in mission mars? Just make sure to have the bad guys hoist the pirate signs all over the vehicle to distinguish between the baddies and the goodies.

They did have a theme very simular to that in the early 90's. It was SPACE POLICE and BLACKTRON.

[iamded]

We can also incorporate space civilian buildings too, like space mining, space refueling station, space bank, space trading market (for crystals or other goods exchange).

Don't forget M-TRON! :-P

Edited June 20, 2007 by iamded

[Wobo Ihi]

Don't forget M-TRON! :-P

I will never forget that theme. Enough with the stupid missile launchers thingies, bring back the magnets!