LotR Sets

[Mörs]

You miss my point. We just had three years of sets that were "Lord of the Rings" in everything but name. Your wish has been answered. There is nothing to see here.

If you think a LotR line wouldn't produce a huge number of useful new parts for us Castle builders, I guess we'll just have to disagree on that one. I want LotR for the parts. I have no interest in building LotR sets or mocs.

This is my point: LotR filling one of the license spots will benefit Castle builders a lot more than most of the other possible licenses I can think of. (Unless, of course, as Bruce points out, it means no original castle line... but) If we can have original castle + LotR, I'd rather have that than original castle + Batman or SpongeBob or whatever. It might even force the original castle to take a different approach, like a more civilian or historical direction to avoid competing with LotR.

Yes, but think of how licensed sets are always ridiculously expensive compared to other themes, and -- while they often do contain rare pieces -- they do not really contain a lot of pieces overall. So, for instance, when the PoP theme comes out, I am pretty sure a lot of people (including me, probably) will be buying the set with the "civilian house" (or whatever that is) just for the camel. They'll be paying over $20 (I believe) for just a camel, basically, since there isn't much interesting stuff there besides it...

And then again, as some people have said here already, we pretty much have a LotR type of "setting" in the current Castle theme, don't we? Well, what do we have? Orcs, trolls, dwarfs, undead, dragons, wizards... and if you really want a hobbit, can't you just use dwarf legs, and think of some appropriate head and hair for it? I don't see the point of making a new mold for them...

I'm with Bruce N H on this, basically: licensed sets kill creativity... but not only in the sense that it sort of compels you to build ONLY from the given instructions; it also discourages people from making MOCs that depict things from a given movie or whatever the theme is based on. And not to mention, those horrifying flesh minifigs...

[Reeper]

I don't think the licensed sets take away from creativity. I mean, I got the Indiana Jones Temple Escape set, and that most certainly did not hinder me from taking it apart and building my own, more accurate version of it. We all know that a whole lot (if not all) of LEGO's licensed products, besides the minifigs and vehicles, are very innacurate to their source material. The way I see it, it actually encourages kids (and AFOLs of course ) to use their creativity and love for the products and the source material to make their own versions of the settings they saw in the movie, TV show, etc. with the added bonus of having accurate minifigs.
Also, when it comes to fleshies, try the yellow Sharpie technique. It works like a charm.

Plus, Mors? There are SO many cooler pieces than just the camel in the PoP sets....just sayin'.

[wobnam]

Yes, but think of how licensed sets are always ridiculously expensive compared to other themes, and -- while they often do contain rare pieces -- they do not really contain a lot of pieces overall. So, for instance, when the PoP theme comes out, I am pretty sure a lot of people (including me, probably) will be buying the set with the "civilian house" (or whatever that is) just for the camel. They'll be paying over $20 (I believe) for just a camel, basically, since there isn't much interesting stuff there besides it...

So? Why does this make Castle + SpongeBob better than Castle + Lord of the Rings? I'd rather have a licensed theme that is useful for my castle building than one that isn't. Even if I don't buy the sets - because I do agree with you, they are far more expensive - I'd still want the option of getting the pieces a line like this is bound to produce. BrickLink them perhaps, or wait for them to make their way into other lines. Like you said, you'll buy Prince of Persia (which, by the way, also looks like it'll contain some useful minifigs and gear). Would you rather LEGO didn't have PoP, but something totally useless instead?

And then again, as some people have said here already, we pretty much have a LotR type of "setting" in the current Castle theme, don't we? Well, what do we have? Orcs, trolls, dwarfs, undead, dragons, wizards...

I do want to see new castle-friendly elements like weapons, helmets, armor, shields, creatures, arches, doors, heads etc etc. You honestly don't?

[rogue27]

You can take the beard off of a dwarf to make a Hobbit. Most other things from Tolkien (or other fantasy) can be done with the parts and figures that were released in the past three years. So, if you want to build LotR stuff, you can. Or if you want to build something based on DragonLance, Willow, or Wheel of Time, you can use parts to do that instead. Lego is at their best when they are producing relatively generic sets and parts that can be used in different ways by different people.

A licensed set has a higher average cost per part than a non-licensed set. So, a LotR theme right now would be a specialized (thus restrictive) rehash of what we've just had for the past three years that is less cost effective to purchase. A LotR theme would also prevent the release of a standard Castle theme. The figs would also be fleshies because it's licensed, and you'd get too many duplicates of unique characters because it is licensed. Even the girls on this forum would get tired of Legolas after they open their seventh one. That's a lot of cons, while most of the pros have already been served by the fantasy theme.

That's not to say that I hate the idea of LotR Lego. I think it could be pretty nice at some other point in time, but KK2 and Fantasy Era Castle leave me wanting a return to the basics. I need bricks and plates, not giant speckle painted wheels and custom-molded monsters. The exotic parts are cool in limited amounts, but the basic parts never grow old.

[Blue Moon Knight]

That's not to say that I hate the idea of LotR Lego. I think it could be pretty nice at some other point in time, but KK2 and Fantasy Era Castle leave me wanting a return to the basics.

I agree here, they should save LotR until the Castle theme is on hiatus.

As far as killing creativity, I don't think licensed themes go so far as to do that. They don't encourage very much creativity, but we may see some from TLG since they will try to be more accurate to the theme, which means we could get some pieces we want, as well as pieces we didn't know we wanted.

Customizers such as BrickForge also do a great job filling the gap by providing exceptional items like cool swords, perfect for your unofficial Hobbits. Sure it isn't completely 'purist' and all, but my point is that you -can- make them with what is available now. That is the point of LEGO afterall, right?; using your imagination to build something with what rescources you have at hand.


~Amanda

I'm not really a purist, and I know all about BF. The rouge biter is especially useful for hobbits.

I understand some people want the official stuff so they can say "this is the official Aragorn minifigure" or whatever. There is nothing wrong with that and I'm kind of guessing that's the category you fall in to. One of the reasons I love collecting Star Wars sets is because I like having the "official" X-Wing set with Luke Skywalker as much as I like creating my own. If there were LotR sets, I would probably purchase them as well for the same reason. But in the meantime, I think I am pretty content with what we have and I'd rather keep churning out new castle stuff than jump into another licensed theme that will be a repeat a lot of the same things we just got.

Ack! So many quotes!

I agree with you in this area. Well the entire post, but this part specificaly. Ugh, can't spell.

[Mörs]

I understand some people want the official stuff so they can say "this is the official Aragorn minifigure" or whatever. There is nothing wrong with that and I'm kind of guessing that's the category you fall in to. One of the reasons I love collecting Star Wars sets is because I like having the "official" X-Wing set with Luke Skywalker as much as I like creating my own. If there were LotR sets, I would probably purchase them as well for the same reason. But in the meantime, I think I am pretty content with what we have and I'd rather keep churning out new castle stuff than jump into another licensed theme that will be a repeat a lot of the same things we just got.

Good point! Actually, I don't really agree with that, since that certainly can bring down people's creativity a bit (they don't want their own version of something but the official version), but I do understand that point of view! Am I the only one here who finds the general idea of licensed LEGO themes a little bizzare? Sure, they have useful unique pieces, for instance, but I definitely think TLG is going over the top this year by releasing 3 new licensed themes (PoP, Toy Story, Ben 10)! What happened to good old original LEGO themes, with their storylines? What's wrong with Adventurers? I personally loved that line (just as I did the Classic Castle factions)...

Plus, Mors? There are SO many cooler pieces than just the camel in the PoP sets....just sayin'.

Ostriches!

[Reeper]

Plus, Mors? There are SO many cooler pieces than just the camel in the PoP sets....just sayin'.

Ostriches! [/quote]

...and new turbans, and helmets, and hairpieces, and scabbards, and whips, and torsos/heads, and new colors, and even that fancy dagger!! hehehe

[Elbadar]

The real problem here is that we're thinking of LOTR as if it would be our new castle line. Is harry potter a castle line? No(although compered to the kk2 sets avalable at the time it kinda was)! Looking at it, not as castle but as "Movie" LOTR is among the best themes lego could do for a movie. I would hate to see castle replaced by LOTR after two years of Orcs and dwarves, but orcs and dwarves in addition to a new castle line, well that would be very good.

And besides, the real thing people want from a lotr line is an oliphant. I need a big elephant with extra tusks. Dont ask me why I just do !

[Count Blacktron]

And besides, the real thing people want from a lotr line is an oliphant. I need a big elephant with extra tusks. Dont ask me why I just do !

Again, made already by LEGO for the Adventurers collection.
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7414-1
&
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7418-1
Done and done.

[Elbadar]

No thats a small elephant with two tucks, and i own it in two colors . I need one like the forty foot high ones in the movies. The little one is realstic, but can it cruch a horse with one foot, I think not! I've said too much already, now to start building a massive elefoot

[Count Blacktron]

No thats a small elephant with two tucks, and i own it in two colors . I need one like the forty foot high ones in the movies. The little one is realstic, but can it cruch a horse with one foot, I think not! I've said too much already, now to start building a massive elefoot

Please (ph-leeesseee) build one. There are more than enough partsies for it.

[Elbadar]

All right i will . Although I would still like to see a giant Elephant creator set or something, but thats wishfull thinking. When I do build such a thing I'll try and post it here, so keep on the lookout over the next two or three months.