Medieval Town?

[psymon]

Is it only me or does anyone else think we need more then just castles and new factions, me personally would love to see a big medieval town with townspeople and old style buildings, maybe a church and stuff like that?
Dont get me wrong now, i really love the new era of castle lego that started 2007 but i feel that my lego universe need a nice town, all figures can not be knights, we need some civilians too!
But i dont see anything like this being released anytime soon (if ever), lego seems to have planned allot of troll/dwarf/elf sets which also is very nice!

[architect]

Since this thread is about a set you would like to see, and not an existing set, it belongs in the Dear LEGO forum. I will move it there.

Ben
CC Sets Admin

[Count Blacktron]

Peasants, merchants, travelers, clerics, laborers, buildings to add to a fortified town, livestock applenty, AND PITCHFORKS!!!! I can wait until 2009 or 2010 at the latest. 2002 was the last time LEGO seriously moved in this direction with their release of Dan Siskends Blacksmith Shop, but this LONG hiatus is getting old; especially since that was in the old-grey era.

GET ON IT!!!

[Tower of Iron Will]

I personally agree 100%. However that being said looking at some of the recent MOCs posted here I think people do a good job making their own "towns." Just have to wait for the new advent calendar.
-Tower

[Heir of Black Falcon]

I have made a few of my own merchant ships, carts and some small and large houses. I'd like to see some lego sets of this nature though.

R

[Count Blacktron]

What we lack are minifigures that are clothed for civilian duties, livestock and tools of the trade. There are other sources for those things, but I don't like stickers and do not prefer clone brands or custom parts. That's why we need an official LEOG exploration into the Medieval Town.

[Sir Kohran]

This has been discussed plenty of times before now and the conclusion has always been that kids simply aren't as interested in civilian life as they are in action/military sets.

- Matt

[wobnam]

It should be possible to combine civilian and military life, though. A castle wall with a blacksmith behind it, a fortified windmill, a farmer with military escort - whatever.

As a kid I always liked the sets that had "something different going on" better.

[Count Blacktron]

This has been discussed plenty of times before now and the conclusion has always been that kids simply aren't as interested in civilian life as they are in action/military sets.

- Matt

As it has been discussed many times and I have always suggested that LEGO should have a small selection of fortified township elements, guards, peasant & labor class figures and zombies/raiders/trolls/skeletons overrunning the village. My personal favorite would be an Inn, Tavern, Stable and/or Store backed up against the Castle wall and ramparts instead of the same old castle design/redesign. Knights and soldiers could still be plentiful (four+ would be enough). Action and battle could still be the theme. You could just replace some elements with townsfolk (three to four minifigures), even give them The Right To Bear Arms (*pitchforks*?) against the invaders (three to four baddies). Give it a large Troll or Dragon and a few small Trolls or Skeletons to battle and pillage and you have yourself a winner!

If you get tired of battle, you can imprison the invaders and give peace a chance.

[Blueandwhite]

This has been discussed plenty of times before now and the conclusion has always been that kids simply aren't as interested in civilian life as they are in action/military sets.

- Matt

Actually, given LEGO's success with AFOL oriented products like the Cafe Corner, why should this be a stumbling block? The first fan designed set was Siskand's Blacksmith's Shop afterall. Your conclusion may have been that there is no interest in civilian life, but I suspect that alot of AFOLs would disagree.

Really, I'd like to see a medieval square or some sort of trade guild as an AFOL oriented set. I know that some fans still deny it but there is a large AFOL market out there. With new the Factory Space sets as well as the strong town theme, I don't see why a similar medieval line would be problematic. Alot of AFOLs don't want fantasy figs. Merchants, traders, and shopkeeps are another story.

[Sir Kohran]

Your conclusion may have been that there is no interest in civilian life, but I suspect that alot of AFOLs would disagree.

Note that I specified 'kids'. I don't have time to find it right now, but I'm certain Lego officials have said that civilian orientated sets just didn't receive as much interest from kids as the action based sets. Kids were, are and always will be Lego's majority audience and so what they want will take preference above the wants of AFOLs.

I do like your idea about a Cafe Corner style adult orientated set though; I see a lot of potential there.

- Matt

[Heir of Black Falcon]

B and W,

A while back on the main CC site there was posted a review by a Lego Designer who said they had play tested civilian sets with poor results. I do wonder how the grocer and such sets might be marketed to a different group perhaps to make up this difference. I really do not know how the lego castle had bad results and the town does not unless the group buying them are completely different in most cases such as the green grocer as more of a special edition and collector piece. I have not bought a town set in well over a decade, likely two now so I am not the best person to weigh in on this but these might be two reasons.

Personally I do not mind if they do or do not. It would be nice if they did but they do play testing to determine if it will work and seems so far it has not for castle. It does not limit me making the civilian sets, except in mini figs themselves. I am plotting a town right now but really as my pieces are limited I might plot on for a while. I did build a nice manor house but it was for my wife's birthday present (she had never been given a single lego set growing up, that must be abuse of some kind!).

R

[Blueandwhite]

I'm well aware of the fact that a civilian-type set isn't going to sell well with children. The thing is, alot of LEGO's newer products aren't aimed at you youngins. With many sets having a 16+ rating, LEGO is clearly aware of AFOL interest. With sets like the Green Grocer, Market Street and Cafe Corner being marketed to an adult audience, I don't feel that the fact that children have no interest in civilian life should be a real stumbling block to an adult-oriented product.

It's sort of like that mosquito anti-kid thingy they have in Britian. It may annoy kids, but for most old shopkeeps it's a gift from the heavens. The same would undoubtedly be true of an AFOL civilian-type set. Kids may not be particularly interested in something like this, but it doesn't mean that many adults wouldn't eat it up. LEGO's playtesting certainly would suggest that there is no market for civilian sets amongst children. AFOLs aren't kids.

[timber_wolf899]

I am told that lego's 07 annual report states taht the fire station sold 50k coppies. They will thus be putting more into city in the future.

So perhaps this means they will give castle/town a second look. I think the trick would be to introduce some adventure into it. Fire is civilian, but it is not boring at all. Firemen have to face danger on a regular basis. So how could we pull the same effect off with castle?

also, anyone who has read the entire report, any word on castle?

[Kev]

I have thought for awhile now that they should take their current "house" series, and make an entry that is a stone cottage-style house that you see all over rural Europe, and include two sets of figs/accessories to make it either current day or medieval. Kinda like a mini-history lesson in a box.