What theme/genre would you like to see LEGO Castle go next?

[SavaTheAggie]

Since my first thread here did ok, how about this one?

Since Harry Potter won't be around forever, and we can only hope that LEGO will bring back Castle as we knew it, where would you like to see LEGO Castle go?

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a more fantasy style Castle, you know, LOTR-ish (without actually signing on with LOTR, though that would be very cool, and not going to happen), but I'm just biased that way .

I also wouldn't mind seeing a revamp of the old Crusader theme, with more armor (like three different styles of full chest (as in add on armor, not torso design) and head gear) and siege weaponry, going for more realism (which I can then alter for my fantasy whims )

So, how bout you?

[ottoatm]

Good question... I personally feel like Lego is going through it's own "Dark Years" in Castle, although some of the special pieces/minifigs from Harry Potter have been useful in spicing up my castle story...

That said, I think that Lego gave up on castle too soon for Harry Potter - all they have to do is, like you said, make some dwarves, trolls, goblins... man that would be so cool to buy a "goblin caves" set....

Anyway, I agree that it'd be neat to see a LOTR setting, but since the law and $$ issues would never allow it, making up their own, similiar theme would be second best in my book.

[INTENSS]

I've been thinking that the LOTR in Lego would be tremendous. Don't know what the limitations are (conflict of interests with Harry Potter??)...though Im sure Lego has looked into it.

There definitely is a dry spell going on with castle. Harry Potter sets had good detail items...but lacked substance. You need like 5 HP sets to make anything decent. I found the Jabba's Palace set chocked full of nice pieces as well.

In my own Castle universe, I've always had a "King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table." Maybe Lego could do something with that. Lancelot, Guinevere (sp?), and the rest of the gang could tag along. Don't know if today's youth would be too intrigued by the storyline though.

-Rich

[Troy]

I've been thinking that the LOTR in Lego would be tremendous. Don't know what the limitations are (conflict of interests with Harry Potter??)...though Im sure Lego has looked into it.

I believe that the subject matters was deemed to be "too dark". That, and the building toy license has already gone to someone else. Playmobile I think, they released some sets in their "Intelibrick" line.

Troy

[Bruce N H]

My biggest wish is that they would include sets from different eras and cultures. The adventurers line has given us pieces and figs appropriate to India, China, and previously Egypt, but I'd like to see more along those lines (and not just modern sets with ruins), plus Greece, Rome, Vikings, Maya, Aztec, etc.

In the more traditional mode of Lego Castle, I'd like to see more civilian sets along the lines of the Blacksmith Shop and the Guarded Inn. Also more figs that would fit into civilian settings.

Bruce

[Jojo]

Hello!


I'd like to see some new Castle sets rather than any re-release of old sets (Well, the re-release of the Yellow Castle is inevitable ). I'd appreciate a line similiar to the old Medieval Houses line that Playmobil (evil word) released in the late 70ies (!) Take a look at this: http://www.collectobil.com/catalogue/themes/framework.htm. LEGO stuck with the Guarded Inn as the one and only half-civilian set. I wished they made an overall medieval theme, not another story-based theme like Knights' Kingdom with three fixed characters and no room for a poor child's imagination to roam.

For the same reason I'm glad they do not have a LOTR license. Of course, LOTR sets would be full of useful parts and minifigs but it's more creative to build the scenes and buildings on your own (like Jon Furman and Bruce N H (e.a.) do). And: We all know what Harry Potter sets look like. They are good for parts but bad as stand-alones. Probably official LOTR sets would look like HP sets, play scenes rather than good looking models. Also notice how poor Jabba's Palace does look. Where's the "palace" anyway?? Yes, it's good for parts though However, the question was: What Castle theme we would like to see, not what part packs. As for parts we currently don't need any Castle line at all as there are so many non-Castle sets with great part selection.

BTW, the old Dragon Masters line was pretty close to any fantasy stuff. Majisto was good for Merlin as well as for Gandalf. You just could let your imagination flow.

To come to a conclusion: I'd like to see new sets that breathe the spirit of the Guarded Inn, the Black Falcons Fortress and of course of the Blacksmith Shop.


Bye
Jojo

[Glencaer]

Jojo,

thanks for the Playmobil link. If nothing else, it is a good idea source for what to build with the LEGO.

I agree, new sets along the same lines as the "big three" we have now is what I would love to see happen. Personally, I think sets along the lines of what Jon Furman is doing with his provincial town would be amazing. They would be small enough to be $20-$30, but sophisticated and detailed to set them apart from 'dribble' of MegaBloks and Playmobil - i think people would buy them.. but maybe I just would.

-Lenny

[Bruce N H]

Jojo, thanks for the nod.

Those playmobile sets would be great as Lego models. Any idea how well they sold? Would a whole line of civilian sets be economical for TLC?

I also would hate to see further licenses, even LotR. These just limit the builder's imagination.

On fantasy, there was also the Fright Knights with witches, ghosts, and skeletons. A newer fantasy line could take advantage of the new use of molded heads on figs such as Yoda, Dobby, Grigotts Goblins, etc. It would be great to have enough of these to create a real orc army.

Bruce

[ottoatm]

That was actually a really good point by JoJo & Bruce N H - if lego came out w/ those buildings, and perhaps more importantly to me, various "peasant" minifig packs, it would really help out in creating a true castle scenario... it's gets a little old to print out clothes and glue them to your "space" figs torsos. I would really enjoy having those playmobil shops built and available in lego...

That said, I think I'd still prefer things to go more fantasy/castle... true, this is taking things away from the original castle lines, but I've always figured the townhouses and blacksmith shops were all about custom mocs - there is so much you can do in creating/customizing them that lego would never come up with (I think)... plus, there are so many user-created instruction manuals that you can swipe and create out of bulk bricks for probally less $$ than if you bought the lego set.

I dunno - I could be on the wrong track here, as a fantasy/castle set built in the way of HP models would not be cool at all... it's no fun building a doll house , still, I'd love to have a dwarven army, or elven tree-castle in the collection...

[Stephen]

It seems like whenever LEGO introduces a new line, it includes a lot of new colors and new pieces. This makes it harder for me to add on to what I already have. My biggest problem with the Harry Potter line was that so many parts were tan and sand green, which didn't help me make better black and grey castles.

I would like to see more rereleases of classic Castle sets for exactly that reason. In the Black Falcon's Fortress I was able to get a lot of parts I could actually use. But I have nothing against new sets either.

I would also like to see more of the classic smiling face heads. It seems like all the newer sets have "special" faces. I'm getting tired of eye patches and frowns. The witch's one toothed grin was probably the worst and I always try to hide those heads inside helmets with visors. Speaking of that: More helmets with visors to hide the stupid faces I already have.

I agree that more civilians and village buildings would be good. I would like to be able to make bigger villages around my castles. I also think an ox would be a good addition to the castle theme. Most civilians didn't use horses for farming and transport.

Stephen

[Jojo]

Hello!

Those playmobile sets would be great as Lego models. Any idea how well they sold? Would a whole line of civilian sets be economical for TLC?

Those houses were quite expensive as far as I can remember, so I never got any. My parents thought it was better to buy more LEGO for the same money :-)
However, I guess they sold well. And they have been in the catalogue for many years, so much time for everybody to buy them if they couldn't afford buying them at once (And most likely nobody could.)

Honestly I'm not sure if a line with idyllic halftimbered houses would be a success for LEGO these days. There's simply not as much action in such playsets as in more martial siege or castle sets. At least a whole series with more than two houses would probably not be economical for LEGO. Times have changed. Today's kids are different from us then, they want Bionicles now :-/

But I don't aim to be devil's advocate... I want such medieval house sets!


Bye
Jojo

[Bruce N H]

Stephen, I like the suggestion of an ox. I have repeatedly said that a cow would be a great molded animal to make. I could see this finding great use in castle, town, train, and western themes (I know, western has been dead for several years now, but they did just rerelease the better sets last year).

Bruce

[Troy]

Honestly I'm not sure if a line with idyllic halftimbered houses would be a success for LEGO these days. There's simply not as much action in such playsets as in more martial siege or castle sets. At least a whole series with more than two houses would probably not be economical for LEGO. Times have changed. Today's kids are different from us then, they want Bionicles now :-/

LEGO could always go the route that they went with the Sante Fe train cars, Have 2 sets that could each build 2 or 3 different styles of houses/shops. I don't think that would be too far outside of the realm of possibility.

Troy

[Stephen]

Stephen, I like the suggestion of an ox. I have repeatedly said that a cow would be a great molded animal to make. I could see this finding great use in castle, town, train, and western themes (I know, western has been dead for several years now, but they did just rerelease the better sets last year).

That's a good thought, Bruce. I'm afraid I was only thinking about how oxen could be used in the Castle theme, I didn't even think about the others. Since you mention it, a whole series of farm animals might be good. I can especially see the value to train layouts.

Stephen

[jcrasterman]

Hi everybody.....

First of all, sorry about my english.... I will do my best, but I think that a bad english should not stop the communication..... (I will "revive" my dictionary)

I agree 100% with jojo.... The world is changing...... I feel it in the water........I feel it in the earth .....
That's real..... boys today prefer ugly Bionicles.... and Lego knows that.... so it sounds difficult to return to the old times.......
But at last we have some "legends".....

I agree also with Jojo. Not only military castle models like castles fortifications or perverse warriors with anger faces and powerfull and devasting weapons are the solution..... Even more, I love other models like guild houses, farms, mills and all the other structures that build a town, bridges, towers, town halls, gates..... Jon Furman, Onishi Shinji and many others have understood this.... but all you know that those days, business are business, and money moves the world....
None of us think that Harry Poter creations are "fantastic" creations, but Lego had earn lot of money with them, and that is the real world.....
The only thing we can expect is that Lego goes on with his Lego Legends policy and from time to time surprise us with some jewels like Blacksmith Shop (anyone knows what about MOC Lego line?????.... It's dead????..... that will be a very bad news.....)

Personally I would like some "historical" buildings..... I find history really passionate, and architecture the best of all the representations of history (of course It's my personal opinion).... so I would like temples, churchs (romanesque, gothic), chateaux, castles, bridges, houses of different historical styles (tudor, lombard, normand, .....) or centuries..... If they are real buildings, good!!!, but it's not necesary.