Legos, anyone?

[Dobber]

Cool magnetic feet!

Chris

[M'Kyuun]

Or a lot of Kragle.

[David Hingtgen]

New AT-AT doesn't have printed leg dishes?  That seems almost like "thumbing their noses" at consumers, when the print already exists, and we've seen them use some prints for like 20-30 years straight.   It's not some cheap set where printed parts would be a "luxury", they're expected for that much $, especially when they have the print in their "catalog" already.  

[M'Kyuun]

I agree with your print argument, especially for the price point of these sets. A little history: out of five large minifig scaled AT-AT sets, only the original 2003 set and the 2007 sets had  6-wide dishes for the hips and 4-wide dishes for the knees, both of which were printed. The 2010, 2014, and 2020 sets have no printing and use the same 4-wide dishes for both hips and knees. The prints definitely added to the look of those first two sets, and it's a trend I wish they'd have continued, especially when we see all sorts of prints appear in other themes. Additionally, I think the 6-wide dishes looked better, and are more accurate for the hips. 

Those printed dishes can still be found on Bricklink, but they're a little pricey.

Honestly, though, for accuracy's sake, the rounded areas of both knees and hips should be made with plates and detailed with tiles, with maybe some stickers to add the necessary mechanical detail, as well as some better shaping for the upper leg to give it a bit of an angle and blend better with the joint. The hip area on the 2020 version looks incomplete, like a large truck with undersized wheels mounted.

The top of the hip could definitely benefit from some filling out to cover the Technic hinge, both on the leg itself, and the structure supporting it. i think I'll be doing some modding when I get a copy.

 

 

Edited August 17, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[Chronocidal]

I think what would be a major improvement there would be to just double up the thickness of both layers of the feet.  Perhaps not quite double, but at least another plate or two of thickness on each tier.

The hips.. really need a five stud diameter.

Honestly, the lack of cylindrical elements of all sizes is something I have lamented for probably decades at this point.  At least with the old 80s Technics sets you used to be able to get solid wheel hubs in varying sizes, but since everything has gone to realistic wheel hubs with air-filled tires, we just don't have those options anymore.

My ideal setup would be to have full or half cylinder elements in 2, 3, and 4 studs, and halves and quarters in at least 6 and 8.  Pieces in 5 or 7 would be great, but just having something in a solid 3-stud diameter would be a huge step up.  We always get those oddball pieces like the cylinders used on the minifig-scaled X-Wings, which are great for that specific thing, but work terribly as a pure cylinder shape.

If my scale estimates are correct, an X-Wing scaled for 8-stud diameter intakes would need 5-ish-stud diameter nozzles, and 3-stud diameter guns.  There's really no good way to do that right now.  

[David Hingtgen]

5-stud dishes exist, just very rare.  I own two! 

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=6942#T=S&O={"ss":"US","rpp":"50","iconly":0}

It is "deep" though, and might not work well as a "cover" for an AT-AT joint. 

[M'Kyuun]

14 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I think what would be a major improvement there would be to just double up the thickness of both layers of the feet.  Perhaps not quite double, but at least another plate or two of thickness on each tier.

The hips.. really need a five stud diameter.

Unfortunately, LEGO doesn't like odd numbers, so the number of odd studded parts is woefully inadequate to the demand and necessity. I agree, however, that a 5 stud diameter dish or plate would be proper. The 5 stud dish that David referred to is just too deep and the wrong shape for the AT-AT hip. I still think that plates are more apropos for the job, and what I intend to try is using macaroni bricks to line the front of them to try and add thickness to the hip as well as cover the Technic joint. I'll use macaroni tiles to create the circular exterior detail. Hopefully I'll be able to closer approximate an accurate look.

And, yeah, the feet could do with another layer or so.

Something else I noticed was that the sides of the new AT-AT are almost flush as they go around, but there's an obvious 'step' between the fore and aft sections of hull on the movie model. I may have to mod that as well, which may prove challenging due to the hinging system they employed for the center panels. I'm almost tempted to try adding the large teardrop shaped moving sections to which the hips themselves attach. LEGO has never even tried on any of their AT-AT models, and generally only imply they're there with subtle shaping. Might be worth trying.

I really wish, after all these years, they'd just give us an ultimate UCS AT-AT with all the bells and whistles. I think the lackluster choice of joints is what's preventing them from doing so. With so much focus on mecha these days, it's a glaring disparity that, Mixel small ball joints aside, they've made no new joints since the ratcheting(Exo-Force) series in 2004, and the large(Bionicle) ball joint system in 2007, with few to no additions  since. I wish they'd make a larger more robust set of ratcheting joints that are up to the task of supporting larger mecha builds. As a mecha MOC builder, I can attest they're sorely needed.

Edited August 18, 2020 by M'Kyuun

[jvmacross]

https://www.target.com/p/-/A-79783435?AFID=LEGORedCard

[technoblue]

Wait...

*looks closer*

Red card exclusive!? NOOooo! That's not true! It's impossible! 

Edited August 21, 2020 by technoblue

[M'Kyuun]

It's also available on the LEGO website. Forty bucks seems a little steep for that, but then again, this is LEGO. I have the Betrayal at Cloud City set (75222), which incorporates that scene, so easy pass for me.

This has been one of the sparsest LEGO buying years I can remember in a very long time. Out of all their themes, very little has really been that appealing to me this year. I was very much disheartened to learn of their canceling the Osprey set. Moving into September, with the release of the fall sets, there are a number of them that I'm looking forward to getting, but on the whole, it's been a slow year for LEGO acquisition. More money for other stuff, I guess. I started collecting Beast and MegaBox figs from 52Toys this year, so I guess it's a tradeoff. Universe help me if next year is packed with goodness across all my collections. This stuff tends to get expensive really quickly.

 

[technoblue]

2 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

It's also available on the LEGO website. Forty bucks seems a little steep for that, but then again, this is LEGO. I have the Betrayal at Cloud City set (75222), which incorporates that scene, so easy pass for me.

Phew. I've added it to my wishlist. I'm a fan of the minifig dioramas, and so I'll probably pick up this and the RotJ Final Duel set at some point. I have the AAT set and the 501st set on my wishlist too, and the new AT-AT is already on order at Amazon but that's it for Star Wars this year. The other sets I'm looking forward to are in the Creator, City, and Ninjago lines.

+1 on the steep prices. LEGO isn't making this hobby any easier on our wallets, that's for sure. 

2 hours ago, M'Kyuun said:

This has been one of the sparsest LEGO buying years I can remember in a very long time. Out of all their themes, very little has really been that appealing to me this year. I was very much disheartened to learn of their canceling the Osprey set. Moving into September, with the release of the fall sets, there are a number of them that I'm looking forward to getting, but on the whole, it's been a slow year for LEGO acquisition. More money for other stuff, I guess. I started collecting Beast and MegaBox figs from 52Toys this year, so I guess it's a tradeoff. Universe help me if next year is packed with goodness across all my collections. This stuff tends to get expensive really quickly.

I wish I could say the same, but my purchases have picked up. I'm actually trying to spread things out a bit now so that I'm not overwhelmed with a building backlog. It doesn't help that I'm on sites like Bricklink picking up parts for clever MOCs either. I have most of the parts for the Swordfish II on hand now, and will be putting that together soon. With any luck, it will be a fun Labor Day project to work through in a couple weeks time. 

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I'm 95% done with the UH-1, I found myself completely doing the nose over and giving it different proportions than before. I just gotta wait for the finishing touches.  On that note, why are black Technic bushing pieces so expensive? I just have a hard time accepting they are THAT rare.

[Guyffon]

I bought a lego AT-AT 75288 because of this thread. Just finished building it and found this gorgeous mod, https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-49545/EDGE OF BRICKS/modification-of-75288-at-at/#comments now I want to get the pieces to mod mine too

If anyone uses that website, is there a tutorial on how do I extract the parts list of what I am missing from the original set to get this mod done, currently when I try to use just the compare function, the list of parts seem more than just the add on armor and not sure if the list is correct.

Edited August 28, 2020 by Guyffon

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

1 hour ago, Guyffon said:

I bought a lego AT-AT 75288 because of this thread. Just finished building it and found this gorgeous mod, https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-49545/EDGE OF BRICKS/modification-of-75288-at-at/#comments now I want to get the pieces to mod mine too

If anyone uses that website, is there a tutorial on how do I extract the parts list of what I am missing from the original set to get this mod done, currently when I try to use just the compare function, the list of parts seem more than just the add on armor and not sure if the list is correct.

So I checked his YouTube link, and I think the list at the bottom left of this page (37.6% unique) is what you are looking for. Is that what you found too?

[Guyffon]

I think I figured how to get the parts, because he did swap some parts out, thus there are parts that i actually did not need if I just want the armor upgrade. Also you have to add sets you own, and then click on the build this moc button, then a more precised list of parts is generated that you will need, and you will be able to export those parts to buy in various shops. I guess I need to really try to understand this website to use it better

[Mazinger]

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1199653.shtml
 

Seems like the LEPIN folks have been convicted and will be serving up to 6 years. I don't think they would have gotten that heavy a sentence in the west and we'll see if it actually plays out. I didn't exactly expect this outcome:
 

"Nine people in Shanghai were sentenced up to six years in prison on Wednesday for infringing on the copyright of Danish toymaker LEGO, as China looks to take strict measures to protect intellectual property. The business' illegal turnover amounted to 330 million yuan ($48.31 million), Shanghai No.3 Intermediate People's Court said in their verdict.

The toys the group designed, produced and sold were under the brand name LEPIN, similar to LEGO. What's more, LEPIN's packaging, design and color were all similar to that used by LEGO."

 

[M'Kyuun]

Perhaps I'm cynical, but I doubt these actions were taken out of any sincere moral or legal indignation, but out of some gain by the Party. China, generally, is not known to be the bastion of legal practices, as they've been stealing and copying intellectual properties for decades with little pushback by the government. This smacks of a good PR  tactic to beholden them to the West. 

[jvmacross]

46 minutes ago, Mazinger said:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1199653.shtml
 

Seems like the LEPIN folks have been convicted and will be serving up to 6 years. I don't think they would have gotten that heavy a sentence in the west and we'll see if it actually plays out. I didn't exactly expect this outcome:
 

"Nine people in Shanghai were sentenced up to six years in prison on Wednesday for infringing on the copyright of Danish toymaker LEGO, as China looks to take strict measures to protect intellectual property. The business' illegal turnover amounted to 330 million yuan ($48.31 million), Shanghai No.3 Intermediate People's Court said in their verdict.

The toys the group designed, produced and sold were under the brand name LEPIN, similar to LEGO. What's more, LEPIN's packaging, design and color were all similar to that used by LEGO."

 

Operations will quickly be resumed by MEPIN! 

[M'Kyuun]

3 hours ago, jvmacross said:

Operations will quickly be resumed by MEPIN! 

Exactly.

 

On a more positive note, I got the Joker's Trike Chase and Mobile Bat Base sets yesterday; I built the former yesterday, and I just finished the Mobile base. The Trike has a cute chomping action when pushed, courtesy of  a cam built into the front axle. It works well, but the upper jaw floats on an axle, and without any cushioning, it can chomp rather vigorously when any sort of meaningful velocity is achieved. It hasn't broken on me, and truthfully there's not much travel distance, but after having my fun, I chilled for fear of stressing something. It's only plastic, after all. Unreleated but apropos, my cat knocked over my 20th anniversary Slave I a couple nights ago, and though it only fell a couple feet to the carpeted floor, some bits broke off, and I noticed stress marks on two of the dark green slope bits that fill in the gaps between the large quarter curved bits where the wings stick out. Fortunately, they won't be very noticeable, but I'll always know they're there. LEGO's tough, but far from indestructible. Back to Batman; so the unnamed Batmobile that comes with the Trike set was the real draw for me, as it bears some semblance, whether coincidental or not, IDK, to the Arkham Knight Batmobile. 

One of the notable features of this model is the use of the helicopter canopy, five of which appear in glorious black, the first appearance of this piece in an opaque color AFAIK. Anyway, they form the fenders and rear engine cover. The engine is designed to be removable, and Batman comes with one of the old classic wrench/screwdriver parts in silver plastic. The cockpit is hinged, as is the engine cover, and it has two front mounted stud shooters. That's all there is for functions/features, but I just like the aesthetic. It looks like an armored dune buggy, and I kinda wish they'd given Joker a more heavy duty vehicle, but it is what it is. Both vehicles were fun builds, and the snapping jaw on Joker's Trike is a fun feature. Robin's bike is the same street bike mold that's appeared in any number of sets, and there's not even a clip for a weapon on the bike. It would have been nice to have a red clip for a batarang. The new quarter 1x1 tiles were put to great use on Harley's hammer. That almost certainly would have been a couple of stickers just a few years ago, so I'm happy for all these new tiles of varying shapes, as they allow for a lot more nuance and detail at the smallest level. Likewise the teeth and gum details on the Trike. Great use of all the new tiles. Another new feature for Batman is the inclusion of two new capes as well as the original to give Batman a more dynamic look. I hope the "flying" cape is a prescient nod to Batman Beyond sets in the near future. 

Moving on to the Mobile Bat Base. Obviously, this is a rehash from the Agents' Mobile HQ sets, as this set has all the salient features of those sets- lots of small vehicles hidden within the truck and trailer, a computer station, equipment, and a jail cell for baddies, that of course has a built-in 'breakout' feature. But it's black and has bat wings- that should count for something, right?

Anyway, I enjoy these mobile base sets, so when I saw this, I was excited to get it. Most reviews that I've watched took a dim view of this set, especially the flying craft, but I dig it. All of it. First of all, it was a fun build- nothing too difficult or repetitive, just a nice relaxing building experience, apart from all the stickers (20 total). They used a Mixel ball joint and this modified plate for the fifth wheel that maintains a firm connection but allows a great deal of freedom for the trailer to move about regardless of terrain. I hope this becomes the standard with these large truck builds. Two notable parts in this set that will no doubt become popular among Classic Space fans are the trans-yellow windshield and canopy. Trans yellow is always a welcome addition to the palette, especially windscreens, so that's a big positive by itself. Moving on, the small vehicles are standard fare- simple but functional  builds that offer mobility to the Dark Knight as he faces down bad guys on sea, land, and air. Speaking of air, we come to the , um, flying thing. This particular build has pretty much been the center of discontent with this set, the bane, if you will. It's a weird and fantastical aircraft, as only imagination could make such a thing fly. Honestly, this strikes me as being in the same vein as The Bat from The Dark Knight Rises. That struck me as a purely fantastical aircraft in an otherwise 'reality' based Batman series of films, and I was kind of surprised Nolan used it in lieu of something more conventional and actually airworthy. However, this is LEGO, so I give it much more levity. I like it- I like the big canopy, I like the shaping, I love the folding wings, I like the grey bits on top with the intake details (stickers) which ostensibly feed engines mounted somewhere between there and the exhausts mounted to the lower back part of the ship. I also like that it can carry the little quadrunner under the fuselage that extends back behind the cockpit. I dig that the landing area for it in the trailer is marked with bee stripes, which you can partially see in this picture. It's all pure sci-fi  fantasy, but it's the kind of fantasy that appeals to me, and I've been a sucker for a large vehicle that spews smaller ones to do battle since my very early childhood watching Battle of the Planets. I'm not a big minifig enthusiast, but I do appreciate the ever improving levels of detail that LEGO puts into them. That said, the figs that come with these two sets are all very well-detailed, and the two new capes, both of the starchy material, are welcome additions to LEGO Batman's repertoire of suits and accessories. Additionally, I believe Batgirl's cape is new as well; it's of the starchy material, has a single neck hole, and is blue on one side, black on the other. It's great attention to detail on LEGO's part, and I appreciate it.  I do wish, however, that they gave more of these figs double molded legs to give them boots, especially Batman and Batgirl. Mr. Freeze's helmet is an apropos reuse from Mysterio from the Far From Home sets. I wish he'd come with some sort of back pack to power his freeze gun, which itself is a nice little mini-build, but he does have lovely back printing that's indicative of his coolant apparatus. Sorry I don't have a pic. Bronze Tiger is unknown to me, but the inclusion of a white Man-Bat is pretty cool. I'm not sure where the white variant comes from, but it makes for a striking looking figure. I just don't like the wing arms, as they offer little to no utility beyond a flying pose. Minifigs are extremely limited in their articulation as it is, and specialized arms like these further limit the usefulness of the fig. 

Final thoughts on these sets is that they offer some fun builds within the LEGOized realm of Batman, and as I generally do, I enjoyed the builds, and playing with the resulting models. Even the flying thing.  FWIW, I recommend them if you're an old Agents fan, or a Batman fan. And if you're a Classic Space fan, you've got two new windshields to work with.

 

On a somewhat related note, I so wish LEGO would create an alternative to the minifig. It was ahead of its time in 1978, but it's an anachronism by today's standards of articulation. I often find it to be the limiting factor in sets. I've also been spoiled by Mega Bloks' figures, which offer a great range of motion for their size. I'd love to see LEGO follow suit, but they seem too rooted in tradition to even attempt it. However, if they made a similar figure, I think it would enhance their action themed sets, allowing for far more dynamic posing and utility than the statuesque minifig. Probably an unpopular opinion, but it's how I've felt for years.

 

[Chronocidal]

I wish they would bring back the old Technics figures.  Quite a bit bigger, but they had most of the articulation of the old 1980s GI Joe figures.

[M'Kyuun]

Yeah, those old Technic figs were excellent. I only have one, but I've long been amazed by its articulation. It was so well done, I don't think it would require much in the way of updating if they were to put them in sets again. Honestly, I think a series of Technic sets built around them would be great, especially as LEGO's trying to appeal to AFOLs. It's a more "grown up' figure, and paired with Technic sets with realistic functions, I think it'd prove more popular now then it did back in the 90's, especially given the advancements in Technic, and the ever growing  AFOL community, not to mention non-AFOLs that buy a set here or there out of curiosity or just for the sheer fun of it. I think Technic sets with a figure on a commensurate level of detail would have strong appeal.

[seti88]

ANYONE FOR A LEGO VALK? Time to support it?

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/abb7ff10-7691-4461-8f95-3040a169ae48

 

[sh9000]

http://www.brickfinder.net/2020/09/06/lego-m-s-k-boulder-hill-brings-back-80s/

[Chronocidal]

Ok, now where's the minifig-scale Switchblade?  

[M'Kyuun]

23 hours ago, seti88 said:

ANYONE FOR A LEGO VALK? Time to support it?

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/abb7ff10-7691-4461-8f95-3040a169ae48

 

That's cool, but much like previous attempts, even if it makes the 10k vote, the licensing history with HG will kill it.

3 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Ok, now where's the minifig-scale Switchblade?  

Alex Jones, AKA Orion Pax, does dome top notch M.A.S.K. builds. 

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I was able to build this with my boys this past week since they wanted their own helicopter like the one I was building:

It's a design from one of the original Universal Building Kits from the 80s.  The clear parts are cloudy now and there is a little yellowing in the gray parts, but it's still solid.

My boys really want to play with this one too (cue Wagner's Flight of the Valkyries):

Finally done!  I couldn't figure out how BrickDesigners made the doors slide, but I'm satisfied with my method.  I bought a sticker set from them to add a little pop. 

[sh9000]

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/mos-eisley-cantina-75290

[Lexomatic]

On 9/6/2020 at 11:47 PM, seti88 said:

ANYONE FOR A LEGO VALK? Time to support it?

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/abb7ff10-7691-4461-8f95-3040a169ae48

I'm not convinced: System elements don't do "subtle", and matching the look of an established aircraft is all about the subtle curves and angles. A good-looking modern-style aircraft can be done -- see 31039 "Blue Power Jet" (2015) -- but it has to be an original design that works with the shape and structural limits of the palette, not against them. Tapered nosecones and canopies have demanded unsatisfactory compromises for aircraft MOCs since forever; alternately, you can embrace the squareness and go for an impressionistic look (proportions, color blocking) that the market recognizes even if the details aren't strictly accurate for perfectionists.

Clone brands sometimes solve this with set-specific elements, as with the Mega Bloks Call of Duty Harrier II (2015), or the Probuilder Carbon Series Fighter Jet in which the entire nose and canopy are one piece, looks like.

(FWIW, I've got a copy of the 31039 in my "to be modified" box, to look like IDW Thundercracker sporting E.J. Su's F-22 design.)

[Chronocidal]

Subtle nose profiles are possible.. but they require an excessive scale before you reach something that looks good.  Around 1/18 scale, stacked plates start becoming a pretty passable option.

The shift toward stealthy designs has actually helped the creation of nice MOC aircraft, because suddenly instead of LEGO designs getting repeatedly whalloped by the disgusting selection of good cylindrical elements, we can just start making accurate planes out of sloped bricks.

[sh9000]

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/1989-batwing-76161

Edited September 19, 2020 by sh9000

[Dobber]

2 hours ago, sh9000 said:

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/1989-batwing-76161

Oh man...I bought the big Batmobile last Christmas and it’s AWESOME! I’m gonna need this now too!

Chris

edit: Slightly disappointed the miniguns can’t flip in and out to be concealed.

Edited September 19, 2020 by Dobber

[Tking22]

I'm in for the Batwing too, the 89 Batmobile was fantastic!

[M'Kyuun]

Likewise. Shame they didn't give Joker his ludicrously long barreled pistol.

I wonder if they're going to release a corresponding minifig scaled version of this like they did the Batmobile.  I hope so.

I wonder if they're going to venture into Schumacher Batman stuff after this. I was never too crazy about those designs, but to each his own.

[Chronocidal]

Definitely bought... but definitely bought to rebuild better.  That thing has some major shaping issues, and I don't understand why.  Could they literally not continue the smooth contours all the way to the nose?  And... as much as I like working canopies, that one looks terrible.  Also pretty disappointing that on something that size, they didn't bother adding landing gear.  

Maybe I'll rebuild it into the TAS version..  

Edit: I might have to hunt down the directions to make this one though.  Better proportions all around.  The 1989 Batwing was a lot thicker than the new set, it was darn near what I would call stumpy.

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Chronocidal

[danth]

There's rumor of a Space Mining Mech coming next year in the Creator line. I'm hoping it references a classic sub-theme like M-Tron, if not just generic Classic Space. At the very least it needs to have colored windscreens and the Classic Space logo somewhere.