Legos, anyone?

[Chronocidal]

At first glance, I'd assumed that new cockpit glass was re-using the angled section from the Saturn V, but no, it's actually two studs larger in diameter at both top and bottom, tapering from a 6x6 to a 10x10 area.

I think as they see more and more creative uses for all the curved panels we're starting to see, they're also realizing the limitations of needing to use them for so many curved shapes, and starting to think more about larger diameter curved sections.

I'm seriously eagerly awaiting the day when we can finally get a UCS X-Wing with properly scaled engines.  The 4-stud diameter ones always looked ridiculously undersized.

[Scyla]

I was in my local Lego store today and of course all slots for preorders where already filled. They said that they will have more available in Oktober. Oh well that leaves some time for saving up.

[edit:] It also has a terrible price to parts ratio especially for Europe and especially since many of the parts are super tiny. I'm not sure it was necessary to push the parts count in this direction.

The US and Canada prices are without sales tax right? Time to move to Oregon!

I wonder if you can do anything with the landing gear.

Edited August 31, 2017 by Scyla

[no3Ljm]

Now I want to have one too! 

 

[no3Ljm]

 

 

[Chronocidal]

So the fall 2017 review candidates have been announced, and this one sneaked right by me.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/13dbfb3c-2ba9-4bc2-b09b-37d4e3b0a2b4

Probably a slim chance of getting approved due the size and complexity, but the fact that the wing markings are made of stacked plates inflated the parts count massively.  I would easily buy a couple of those if it gets done though.

Aside from that, the Saturn V tower and shuttle are also on the docket, along with a couple others that I don't care much about.

https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/a4ae09b6-0d4c-4307-9da8-3ee9f3d368d6/post/0d0f90c2-71d4-421e-8765-e7ea5f141f7f

[Chronocidal]

Finally built up the Saturn V last night, that is one insane piece of topsy-turvy SNOT assembly.

So, looking at options for new fins. The left one is my previous design, which I think looks a little better in general, but is a little too large.  The right hand design looks better scaled, but is also a little shallower slope, and might use a bunch of pieces I don't have access to.  So, we'll see what happens when I dig through my boxes.  

[wwwmwww]

On 8/31/2017 at 1:56 PM, M'Kyuun said:

Fortunately, I'm in the LEGO VIP program with about $300 saved up for just such an occasion. $800 is crazy money to spend on a toy.

I too am in the LEGO VIP program with a little saved up due to the Saturn V model.  I see several sites stating that 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon will go on sale September 14 to VIP members and go on sale to the general public on October 1st.  I've not purchased something that was released early just for VIP members before. I also don't see anything about the September 14th release date when I log in on the LEGO site using my VIP login.  Anyone know the exact procedure for ordering this on September 14th if they are a VIP member?

Thanks, Carl

Edited September 8, 2017 by wwwmwww

[wm cheng]

I think you're supposed to get an e-mail about it.  I am on the VIP program as well and was told that there would be an early VIP pre-order window for the UCS Snow Speeder earlier this year, but that didn't happen in all areas.  I'm in Canada and either the country was left out or I was left out :P, but I waited for the earlier pre-order and it didn't happen for us, it did for US, Australia, UK and a few other countries, but not here.  So I hope we are included this year for the Sep 14th date - otherwise it would be Bandai madness on Oct 1st! 

 

BTW for Canadians, for once the exchange rates seem to work in our favour (at least compared to the USD).

[wm cheng]

Hey anyone in Canada managed to purchase the UCS Millennium Falcon via VIP Membership?  I never got any e-mails and when I log in today with my VIP number, it just says available Oct 1st.  Argh!!!  Not available early in Canada again?!?!

[wm cheng]

Ah, perhaps I spoke too soon.  It got changed and its on the Canadian store but I couldn't complete the checkout process as it hangs and keeps giving me a server error message.  I guess there are that many Canadians out there willing to drop over $1K on a lego set!  ...and I thought I was crazy!

 

[wm cheng]

Well it wouldn't process my payment and eventually it timed out on me and emptied my cart.  Now it indicates its "Temporarily Sold Out" and no longer gives to option to even backorder it.  Congrats to those who managed to snag one - unfortunately I wasn't so lucky.  I guess Lego is taking a page from Bandai sales tactics now.  How hard is it to give money to purchase super expensive toys these days?!

[technoblue]

I saw pictures of the queues outside Lego Shops in London, and I had a feeling pre-order madness was winding up to strike us all again. 

Anyway, I decided to wait this one out. I don't know when I'll pick up the Falcon--maybe sometime next year when the dust has settled and everyone has moved onto the next thing. A lot will depend on how far the latest UCS hype train keeps chugging along. 

Edited September 14, 2017 by technoblue

[kanedaestes]

From what I've heard it's already sold out. Good thing I have the original to hold me over till I get the update. 

[M'Kyuun]

Likewise; I'm in no hurry. LEGO knows they've got a good selling set on their hands, and judging by aftermarket for the original, this was really a no-brainer for them, esp given the hype generated by new movies every year. So, I'm going to keep building up my VIP points until at least half of the set is paid for (I'm close to that point now- I'm hoping for another double-VIP point month to come along so I can get the lovely Ninjago City set and get 600 points in one fell swoop.) I don't understand the whole queueing mentality; it's not like this is a one time only offer. Likewise for other products where people have to have it the day of release; I like stuff too, but that sort of fervent fanaticism eludes me.

Anyway, if we have such release events here in the States, I hope it doesn't devolve into the usual mindless shoving and trampling that seems to accompany product releases these days. Patience and courtesy, America, not injury and death, over a toy that'll be available for awhile.

[Chronocidal]

Hopefully they'll be producing these for a long while, but I hope they have a decent gauge of demand by the actual release date, or there's going to be a lot of disappointed people hammering the online shop site.  Like, I don't want to say I'm concerned that they're not going to produce enough of these to meet demand, partly because of the $800 price tag... but all my recent experience with Bandai, and even the Saturn V set has made me wary.

Just out of curiosity, what scale would that falcon be?  I know the minifigures are a lousy point of reference, being about 1/48 in height, but 1/32 in width.   I'm curious how this is going to compare in size to the 1/72 Perfect Grade kit, and whether it'll actually be closer to 1/48.

Edited September 14, 2017 by Chronocidal

[M'Kyuun]

There are folks who know this kind of stuff, but their nerd factor exceeds mine by quite a wide margin.  Minifig scale to me means a minifig can fit in it, whether sitting, standing, laying, prone, or sideways, so it's not an exact measure by any means. Having the original, it's a big model, which means it'll take up even more room that I don't currently have (another reason why I'm really in no hurry to get a copy). I plan on getting a big shed next year, and then I'll be better situated to obtain a set of this size.

As I mentioned, this thing's going to sell, even with the exorbitant price tag, so I imagine LEGO will keep it on the market until sales start to dip, which probably won't be for awhile, esp with Disney putting out a major episode every year, and with filler movies like Rogue One keeping it fresh. 

[Chronocidal]

Just out of curiosity I looked it up.. while I'm not necessarily going to trust Bandai's measurements of it being truly 1/72 scale, the actual size of the PG kit is 482 mm.  The new UCS LEGO one is listed as 33"/840 mm, which actually works out to 1/41 scale.  So.. yeah.  The LEGO one is actually bigger than the filming miniature, which was 32".  

Edit: Also, success!  Sort of.  I've been taking stock of my parts, buying a couple small sets for the missing bits, and attempting to build that Ideas Shuttle from scratch.  I know I haven't got the elements to build the tank and boosters, but I'm pretty sure I've got everything necessary to build the orbiter now.   Fortunately, the only bits I was lacking were the bay door segments, and nose section, both of which are available in some of the currently available sets.

Edited September 16, 2017 by Chronocidal

[Scyla]

It seems like there won't be more UCS Millenium Falcons for some time since the demand during the VIP was through the roof and Lego is trying to figure out how they can provide more rather quickly: https://brickset.com/article/30676/no-more-millennium-falcons-for-some-time

In the meantime here is a speed build of it:

 

[sh9000]

 

[macsam]

got a chance to see a sneak preview of this beast at the Lego store last week:

 

[Chronocidal]

Well that's.. slightly both disappointing, and amazing.  Maybe LEGO really just doesn't realize how deep the pockets of the typical adult collector really are?

I hope they haven't bitten off more than they can chew, in terms of production demand.  I feel like they're really only hurting things by not allowing back orders to be placed, because they can't get a proper estimate.  If they don't plan on actually limiting production, I don't see why they don't just let everyone take a number.

Edited September 18, 2017 by Chronocidal

[Scyla]

Maybe Lego is lacking the ability to produce a set this complex to satisfy the demand extrapolated from the VIP sales.

That said I think that the percentage of VIPs that are interested in buying the UCS falcon is much higher than in the general population. 

[nhyone]

I think TLG is trying to be cautious so that they don't get stuck with too many unsold units.

Maybe their plan for high-priced-but-unknown-demand sets is to produce X numbers per quarter, so that they get stuck with X numbers at most.

They seem to be using the same approach for the Apollo Saturn V set.

I'm also thinking the chance of this set staying at list price the entire run (due to ever-demand), or will it be discounted by 20-30% at some point to move sales?

[Chronocidal]

I'm not sure what to expect here in terms of discounting.  I purchased several of my other UCS sets on discount, including the original Falcon at 20% off.  I think they've gotten wise about not over-producing now though, so that isn't quite so likely.  I haven't seen any other high ticket items go on heavy discount for a while now.

I honestly wish they'd just let people order them, tell them there's a waiting list, and then deliver them on a first-come first-served basis. I don't care when I get one, just so long as I don't get shut out because their production lines aren't big enough to handle demand.

[M'Kyuun]

Nice little model there; once I secure one, I've no idea where I'll put it, as nearly every flat surface in my little house has Transformers, Macross, or LEGO on it. Still, like the original UCS Falcon, I look forward to a nice week's worth of building.

In response to Scyla's post above, I've been aware for some time the remarkable demand for the original set on secondary market, which makes $800 for the new improved version a steal, relatively speaking. Since a number of employees at LEGO, esp quite a few of the model designers, are AFOLs, who are very much entrenched in all things LEGO as a hobby and a lifestyle, I can't for a second believe that the leadership at LEGO were unaware of the demand for the retired UCS Falcon, facilitating a rather easy decision to design a new one after a decade of new parts and experience. According to an interview I read with the designers, it doesn't sound like they had a budget ceiling to adhere to, which freed them to make the best model they could. The medium itself was their main limitation factor, as they said they about stressed the parts to the allowable max. Personally, I've often thought that certain parts cast in aluminum would be really handy, primarily Technic links. Anyway, it's cool to see the inevitable reviews cropping up. Also cool to see Tommy from Bricknerd getting some hang time with the Tested crew.

I'll make a shameless plug here for BrickCon, which is set to take place at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall on Oct 7 and 8. For anyone who likes to see amazing stuff built with LEGO, often without constraints, and not without a lot of humor or lack of artistry or technical detail, I hope to see you there. As usual, I'll be in the mecha section with a couple of my MOCS. The coolest thing about this convention is that it is entirely dependent upon AFOLs carting their creations from hither, thither, and yon, which sometimes means traversing oceans and datelines, just to have an opportunity to have four or five thousand people visit and check out their handiwork. It's a great time, highly recommended. Last of all, I'm not in any way a paid endorser, nor am I affiliated with BrickCon in any way except as a paying participant who likes to show off his models and engage with the crowds once a year. If any of you are interested in attending or participating, visit BrickCon.org.

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

I found this digging through my old room:

I'm not sure all the pieces are there and the box is toast. Man, I had great times with this set.  All the suggested builds were fun to play with, but I remember playing with the helicopter more often.  I'm gonna have to play with it again with my kids once they're old enough.

[danth]

Wow, I'm digging that auto garage-slash-air traffic control tower!

[Valkyrie Hunter D]

4 hours ago, danth said:

Wow, I'm digging that auto garage-slash-air traffic control tower!

For sure! I remember making makeshift rockets from a space set and making my own mini missile base with it.

[Scyla]

Being on my third watchthrough of a UCS Millenium Falcon speed build I had the idea that Lego could sell add-on sets for the interior of the falcon. The way the inner sections are attached seems like easy to replace with a different build.

Since I can't remember what other rooms where of any importance in the OT there could be some coming up in The Last Jedi. Maybe Disney said no to spoilers in the set and Lego decided the set was too expensive already and decided against more interior in the Falcon.

Taking a closer look probably only the starboard aft compartment could be replaced since the starboard forward compartment is blocked by the dropping down gun and the battle damage.

On the other hand it would take some major reconstruction of the cover plates to get access to this area. Its probably just an interesting thought I had. 

Would you be interested in buying and add-on set for the UCS Falcon?

[Chronocidal]

Well, I mean, it would be interesting?  But I don't expect you can crawl through the entire ship's hull that easily.  There's got to be some room for the actual ship components. 

That being said, one thing at a time.  I need to get the set first before I think about if I'd want to make additions to it.  Though, I do think it would be fun to build a factory fresh one, in some sort of corporate paint scheme.  Though, maybe that's best left to one of the 1/144 Bandai kits.

[Kelsain]

Didn't see another thread for it, and I'm not sure it deserves it's own:

Just saw the Ninjago Movie with the kids yesterday. And while they really enjoyed it, I'd give it a C, compared to A's for the original & Batman ones.

It didn't have all of the mythology to call upon that the first 2 did, and was so far removed from the series' concept that it couldn't really build off of that either. 

While it did have some good action & some pretty funny moments, too many of the rules that had been set up by the other movies were ignored. For one thing - the presence of real plants, to scale with the minifigs. I was willing to accept the water & smoke of Batman, justifying that Will Ferrel & his kid added some more features to the basement layout.

Spoiler

But then, despite the impression I'd gotten from the trailer; this film does not take place in the imagination of the same kid or in the same basement. I was hoping that it would be the through-line between all of the Lego movies, which would justify cross-references and the consistent humorous departure from the source material.

Overall, while I do think the TV show is OK, I didn't have high hopes for the movie. However, considering how much I enjoyed TLM & TLBM, I was hoping to be impressed. I wasn't...

Edited September 25, 2017 by Kelsain

[M'Kyuun]

As longtime fans of the Ninjago tv show, my wife and I were a little disappointed to learn, well before seeing the movie, that it was its own stand alone story apart from the show, which by now has a pretty rich backstory. We still saw it, and enjoyed it for what it was. I suppose it made sense to make it stand alone with a more basic premise to appeal to a wide audience, especially those who don't watch the tv show. There were little nods to the show, but that was about the extent of their connection beyond the character names. 

 

So, this coming weekend is BrickCon in Seattle, and as usual, I plan on taking a few of my MOCs for display. I just finished this guy, well tentatively. It's been a stressful last two weeks toiling away to get him done, and I'm happy to have something new in keeping with this year's 'back to old school' theme.  He stands about 15" tall to the tops of his cannons.

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2017 by M'Kyuun
Added photos

[sh9000]

 

[Silverstreak]

On 01/10/2017 at 5:14 PM, M'Kyuun said:

As longtime fans of the Ninjago tv show, my wife and I were a little disappointed to learn, well before seeing the movie, that it was its own stand alone story apart from the show, which by now has a pretty rich backstory. We still saw it, and enjoyed it for what it was. I suppose it made sense to make it stand alone with a more basic premise to appeal to a wide audience, especially those who don't watch the tv show. There were little nods to the show, but that was about the extent of their connection beyond the character names. 

 

So, this coming weekend is BrickCon in Seattle, and as usual, I plan on taking a few of my MOCs for display. I just finished this guy, well tentatively. It's been a stressful last two weeks toiling away to get him done, and I'm happy to have something new in keeping with this year's 'back to old school' theme.  He stands about 15" tall to the tops of his cannons.

 

 

 

I know it's a little late but man! That is brilliant!

[M'Kyuun]

Silverstreak, you just made my day! Thanks for the kind words, sir.

I plan on making a few improvements to this guy, and then I may try building the infamous Popehead, the VF-14 Vampire. I have a non-Macross idea or two percolating as well, but I just can't escape the desire to build transforming mecha.

Thanks again!