Brickset news archive: October 2012
-
The big LEGO Builder's Book
Posted by Huw, 31 Oct 2012 09:52. Filed under Book review.
This 400 page paperback, The big unofficial LEGO Builder's Book: Build your own city, has just been published by Heel Verlag GmbH, and my pre-order from Amazon landed on the doormat yesterday.It's written by Joachim Klang and Oliver Albrecht who, according to the introduction, are active members of the German AFOL scene and 1000Steine.
It's divided into two sections. The first provides instructions and inspiration for building a micro-scale LEGO city like that shown on the cover. Most of the 30 instructions are for vehicles of some sort although some small buildings and trees are also included. The second, much smaller section, has instructions for five minifig scale 'professional models', four cars and a helicopter.
This page, showing the last page of one set of instructions, and the first of another show how it's laid out: A nice photo of the finished model, shown in the context of the micro-scale city followed by several pages of instructions that end with a parts list.
The LDraw suite of tools have been used (by Lutz Uhlmann) to create the step-by-step instructions, which are extremely well done and superbly clear: on a par with official instructions, in fact.The models use a lot of advanced building techniques that you might not find in official models, so from that point of view, it's educational, and in fact there are a few pages showing such techniques at the front of the book, some of which I've never come across (like using lever handles jammed into the bottom of plates to join them bottom-to-bottom).
If you're looking for building inspiration, I highly recommend this book: there are many models in it that make you think "'wow, that's cool!" and which are likely to have you reaching for your parts drawers to build them yourself. My only criticism is that the writing on the spine is the wrong way up: the text should start at the top and end at the bottom: why do some publishers think otherwise?!
You can order it now from Amazon:
18 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5142 views
-
The zombies are coming!
Posted by Huw, 31 Oct 2012 06:28. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Appropriately for Halloween, we have a Monster Fighters set free with today's Sun.30200 Coffin Car features a bizarre vehicle made from a coffin and a zombie chauffeur. The zombie is quite nice but it's the same one that's available in three other sets so you probably have him already. There are not too many useful parts in the set, as most of its bulk is taken up by the coffin, which isn't particularly reusable.
The set has been available at LEGOLAND Discovery Centers in the USA, but I think this is its first appearance in Europe.
It's definitely worth getting out of bed and down to WHS for, although I, like many, would have preferred 30201, the ghost. After all, a couple of zombie chauffeurs is enough for anybody, but you can never have enough glow-in-the-dark ghosts :)
21 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3186 views
-
Shell LEGO promotion hits Europe
Posted by Huw, 31 Oct 2012 05:50. Filed under Shopping (Europe).
The Shell promotion is slowly working its way westwards, and next week will start in Italy.According to FBTB, so far it's been run in Philippines, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau, and the Ukraine.
This advert, sent to me by Vittorio, states it'll be running in Italy from 8th November to 9th January 2013 and you'll be able to get one when you spend €40 on fuel.
The sets available are 30190-30195, plus, possibly 30196 although that one isn't shown in the picture. I presume you'll be able to get a different vehicle each week.
Thanks Vittorio!
9 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2861 views
-
30017 Police boat
Posted by Huw, 30 Oct 2012 07:05. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Here is today's free set with The Sun in the UK. It's been available as part of many promotions over the world so from that point of view it is the least desirable of the selection, and arguably, being Police, the most boring.Having said that, there are a lot of large pieces in it compared with the Super Heroes sets we've had so far and the minifig is actually quite cool. Dark blue legs are always useful, his hat is great and he's sporting one of the new life jackets that appeared last year, which is a great improvement on the earlier version. The Forest Police torso is also very nice.
My verdict today, then, is if you're passing WHS you might as well grab a few, but it's probably not worth making a special trip for.
20 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3368 views
-
Is this the lineup for series 9?
Posted by Huw, 29 Oct 2012 09:56. Filed under New sets.
The Daily Brick has published what it believes is a list of collectable minifigures series 9:
- Alien Trooper
- Chicken Suit Guy
- Maid Marion
- Heroic Knight
- Cyclops
- Mermaid
- Fortune Teller
- Dr. Splitz
- Roller Derby Girl
- Judge
- Battle Mech
- Caesar
- Downtown Cop
- Plumber
- Waiter
- Hollywood Starlet
As the team over there says, this series appears to have many completely new minifigs, rather then just changed genders. I know someone who will be particularly pleased with the Roller Derby Girl if that turns out to be true!
No more is known about them at the moment other than they are scheduled for release in January and will be in silver packets.
82 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)17977 views
-
Quinjet: Which do you prefer?
Posted by Huw, 29 Oct 2012 09:26. Filed under Miscellaneous.
It's not often that the picture on the instructions differs from the actual instructions, but here's a case where what was presumably an earlier colour scheme of the model is depicted, showing nearly every part in dark grey.It certainly looks more uniform, but which do you prefer?
Compare this photo of the model made with parts the colour as shown on the instructions cover with the one below and make up your own mind.Thanks to psymon for bringing this to my attention.
The model as built out-of-the-bag.
20 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3394 views
-
LEGO slashes price of Star Wars Advent Calendar
Posted by Huw, 29 Oct 2012 08:30. Filed under Shopping (USA).
For some unknown reason, this year's Star Wars calendar was vastly overpriced in the USA and Canada, which was unusual given that it's normally Europe that has to pay a premium for Star Wars sets.
Faced with the prospect of a warehouse full of them come December (I suspect), LEGO has reduced the price by 20%, which makes it a more reasonable $39.99 in USA and Canada, and now just about on par with Europe's price of £25 / €30.
If you haven't ordered already, now's a good time to do so: USA | Canada.
9 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2904 views
-
Mini Quinjet
Posted by Huw, 29 Oct 2012 06:22. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Today's model free with The Sun is 30162 Quinjet. It's the only one of the nine in the offer that doesn't have a minifig, so consequently there are more pieces in it.This set has not been available anywhere in the world until today: in fact it's not even listed at BrickLink yet.
It's quite an interesting little model and it includes some nice pieces, including trans-medium-blue grilles which are available only in this and the large Quinjet set.
Update: Psymon has pointed out in his review something that I didn't notice: The instructions cover image has dark grey wings and a dark grey instead of black wedge plate at the back of the fuselage. It looks much better like that: if I have the pieces to do a conversion I will do so and post a photo...
Overall, another nice addition to the offer.I probably won't bore you with the next 4 days' models as they are relatively uninteresting and have been available in many other countries (unless you want me to, that is!)
The next set of interest is on Saturday, 30211: Uruk Hai with ballista.
24 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2908 views
-
Hawkeye and his equipment
Posted by Huw, 28 Oct 2012 08:21. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Today's offering in The Sun is 30165 Hawkeye with equipment.This is another great set to be included in the lineup: Hawkeye was previously only available in expensive sets and, as far as we know, the polybag itself has only been available in Sweden before now.
I don't know what your experience has been like but, again, my branch was quiet today and they even had some of yesterday's sets left, so it looks as if there are plenty to go round this time.
42 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3861 views
-
Free polybags in the Netherlands again
Posted by Huw, 27 Oct 2012 15:07. Filed under Shopping (Europe).
Dutch DIY store Gamma is once again offering free LEGO polybags with certain purchases (the previous promotion was this time last year).It looks as if you have to spend quite a lot to get hold of them for free, but I seem to recall that they could be purchased individually in store either during or after the promotion last time. Full details can be found on the Gamma website.
The selection is:
- Fire Chief, LEGO City, 30010
- Firefighting Helicopter, LEGO City, 30019
- Car, LEGO Ninjago, 30087
- Police Aircraft, LEGO City, 30018
- Police Boat, LEGO City, 30017
- Mining quad, LEGO City, 30152
- Hidden sword, LEGO Ninjago, 30086
- Office, LEGO Friends, 30102
- Mining Bulldozer, LEGO City, 30151
- Catching snakes, LEGO Ninjago, 30085
Here's a BrickList showing them all.
Now, who was it who was whinging in the comments about a lack of LEGO promotions in Holland, crazytaxi? :-)
Thanks to Arnold for the news.
19 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2877 views
-
Legends of Chima news
Posted by Huw, 27 Oct 2012 10:54. Filed under New sets.
Things are hotting up on the Legends of Chima front.The microsite at LEGO.com went live today. It's only a teaser, but it has this and another image to, er, tease us with.
If you want to see the real thing, this eBay lot shows a great photo of Razcal from 70000 Razcal's Raven Glider, and this photo gallery shows most of the sets out of the box (unfortunately the images are still a bit on the small side). And finally, The Brick Show team has posted a video review of the Razcal minifig on YouTube.
It's getting exciting, isn't it... :-)
Update: I've added the out-of-box pictures to the database. They reveal a couple of things that weren't so obvious (to me anyway) on the box images:
- The vehicles are all made to look like animals: bird, eagle, lion, reptile, crocodile, wolf. The eagle looks great, but I'm not so sure about the others.
- The Speedorz are not pull-back motors as I had originally speculated, but seem to be powered by rip-cord. Presumably you hold them in your hand, insert cord, pull it out to set the wheel spinning, then put them onto the ground or table. Each set seems to make some sort of challenge: go through the fire ring, knock down the boulders, pass through the gates, etc. I guess it might be fun, and presumably the cards add an element of randomness to the gameplay. We'll have to wait and see...
46 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4970 views
-
The Sun promotion has started...
Posted by Huw, 27 Oct 2012 09:20. Filed under Shopping (UK).
I'm sure I don't need to remind UK readers that the free LEGO with The Sun promotion has started today, but just in case you've been living in a cave for the last few months... get down to WHS right away! :-)Today's offering is 30163 Thor and the Cosmic Cube. Given that this set has not been seen in the UK before, and previously Thor was available only in expensive sets, it's a great little polybag to start off the promotion with.
The rock piece is frangible so that you can mimic Thor breaking it by moving the black Technic beam lever on the side. It's pretty unremarkable otherwise, but with Thor in it, it's worth 50p of anyone's money.
My branch of WHS was surprisingly civilised this morning at 9:15; my wife and I walked straight to the till, and there wasn't a walking-stick wielding granny or scalper in sight. I suspect tomorrow will be worse given the store doesn't open until 10:00 am and everyone's had time to get up and go into town by then. In case you need reminding, here's the list of sets we can look forward to this week.
25 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3507 views
-
Tis the season to check out Costco : Ewok attack $19.99
Posted by fuelbreak, 26 Oct 2012 19:32. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
I was just informed that my local Costco in Kelowna BC Canada has marked down the relatively over priced Ewok Attack (7956) to $19.99 . At this price its worth the money.
Perhaps others have spotted similar deals at their local Costco.
4 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2513 views
-
Chase McCain minifig
Posted by Huw, 26 Oct 2012 12:43. Filed under New sets.
Hot on the heels of Elrond, here's the free minifig that's given away with pre-orders of LEGO City Undercover video game.
To avoid confrontation in the comments, I won't tell you where the figure is made this time :-)
Thanks to Alex G for sending us the photo.
27 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5480 views
-
CUUSOO News - Purdue Pete and Review Status
Posted by Dennis, 26 Oct 2012 10:16. Filed under Cuusoo.
I'm sure many of you have noticed by now, Purdue University has achieved their goal of 10,000 supporters within 36 hours for their sports icon Purdue Pete. With 45 minutes to spare, at 8:15 PM local time, that's quite an impressive accomplishment. An official comment from TLG has been posted just minutes ago. 
Also yesterday, CUUSOO posted the current status of the summer and fall LEGO reviews to their blog. Unfortunately there is no real news. Basically, they are working out the final details for the summer review while the fall review has started. As for the winter review, the deadline is December 3rd (at midnight, GMT), which is only a little over a month away already. At the current rate of support, it looks like Purdue Pete may be the only qualifying submission. Space Marines! did receive a slight boost from the Purdue visitors, so we hope to see it included as well.
16 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2661 views
-
Exclusive Elrond minifig now out
Posted by Huw, 25 Oct 2012 16:56. Filed under New sets.
Here's the exclusive LotR Elrond minifig that's available when you pre-order the LEGO Lord of the Rings video game. In the USA I'm told it's only available in Game Stop.
Unfortunately, according to the back of the polybag, like other minifigs of its ilk, it's not made in Europe or Mexico so won't be quite as good as those that are.
Thanks to BrickPusher for the picture.
53 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)8926 views
-
Subscribe to Brickset news by email
Posted by Huw, 25 Oct 2012 10:33. Filed under Brickset.
Thanks to a suggestion by yodaman5556 you can now subscribe to Brickset news articles by email, via Feedburner. Just click on the Subscribe link above ^^ in the news header and follow the instructions.I suspect it will need tweaking slightly to adjust the Amazon alerts, so I've subscribed myself and will attend to it once the emails start to come through.
Do you think it should include the Amazon alerts, or not?
19 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1952 views
-
CUUSOO Pick of the Week - Purdue Pete
Posted by Dennis, 25 Oct 2012 09:23. Filed under Cuusoo.
Hi everybody! My name is Dennis and I am introducing a weekly article on Brickset highlighting a particular CUUSOO project.
I will soon introduce myself better and explain what this is all about. For now I am rushing into this, because something big is happening right now. To be honest, this Pick-of-the-Week is not representative of what will likely be spotlighted in the future. But this is certainly not your typical CUUSOO project. I am talking about Purdue Pete.
"Who? What?" you ask. Who is Purdue Pete and why is he so popular all of a sudden? Well, this little guy is Purdue University's mascot. The scale model was designed and built by the associate dean for engagement in the College of Veterinary Medicine, Sandra San Miguel. Earlier this week the University heavily promoted the project in the school newspaper, on their own website, and on Facebook. They called for a record number of votes, hoping to garner all 10,000 in a 36 hour period starting October 24th. According to comments from people who claim to be involved, mass emails were sent out and they had multiple iPads set up at various, high-traffic locations around campus as voting kiosks.It's quite obvious they have been successful with their campaign. Supporters have been pouring in and you can see them for yourself every few seconds on CUUSOO's Discover page. At the time of this writing, there have been 8,350 votes cast over the last 24 hours. It looks like they are well on their way of reaching their goal.Now, as an AFOL myself who also happens to have my own CUUSOO project, I completely understand why this project is disappointing to many in our community. Although it is unfortunate that the majority of these people are likely only voting for this specific project and are not voting for any other idea, I believe this can still be considered a positive thing. The way I see it: many people have been exposed to CUUSOO whom were previously unaware of the program. Surely many of these students had LEGO growing up, so this may very well encourage those who have "outgrown" LEGO to rediscover the hobby as an AFOL. As young people who are more likely to use social media, I think sharing this project on Facebook, Twitter, etc. will have a positive effect for CUUSOO and the LEGO fan community in general.With all that said, do I think TLG will approve this project? I think it's pretty clear to us that it is not a good model fit for production. I'm sure, since this is Brickset, I do not have to go into the reasons for this. However, it does bring up some interesting thoughts. American sports fans are very passionate, whether it's at their school or professionally. Imagine a LEGO model for every major school's mascot. That's a huge potential market full of young people who have generally "outgrown toys". An official model for their school, created by one of their own, could easily rekindle their interest in LEGO as an AFOL. Taking that into consideration, I think Purdue Pete is not such a bad idea after all. Although it is an IP idea, it is original and something that hasn't been done before. It may actually have potential.Update: As of 7:39 PM (GMT), the Purdue Pete project stands at 8,846 supporters, which makes it officially the top supported submission. Voting has slowed significantly, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the 36-hour goal will be achieved. Either way, the campaign has been very successful and I am sure it will reach 10,000 supporters soon.Update: As of 12:15 AM (GMT), the Purdue Pete project has achieved their goal of 10,000 supporters. It's my understanding that the 36-hour period ended at 9:00 PM (EST), so they reached 10k with 45 minutes to spare. Very impressive, I must say I did not think it would happen. Congratulations to Sandra, the creator, and Purdue University for their success. I look forward to TLG's comments.
25 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3386 views
-
Next AFOL shopping day
Posted by Huw, 25 Oct 2012 04:19. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (UK).
The LEGO community team has just advised us of the date of the next AFOL Shopping day at the brand stores in the UK. It will be on Sunday 11th November 2012, one hour before the shop normally opens, which is therefore 10am at all stores except Manchester (10:30) and the Westfield London branches (11am)You will receive a 15% discount on all articles in the store except for already discounted articles, gift certificates and books.
The only requirement to participate is that you're an AFOL.
25 comments, latest one posted 6 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)7215 views
-
Riddles of the Ring video
Posted by Grahame, 24 Oct 2012 00:01. Filed under New sets.
Head on over to the LEGO YouTube channel to see a video for The Hobbit set, Riddles of the Ring.
Update by Huw: There's a neat Hobbit section at LEGO.com that's revealing the sets one a week, which has some great images of the sets. The best part of it is that it's not Flash-based.
Thanks again to skipper1011 for this news!
16 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3437 views
-
Site enhancements
Posted by Huw, 23 Oct 2012 06:43. Filed under Brickset.
I've made a few changes to the site, in response to user feedback, and also sorted out a few anomalies and annoyances.Change the colour of owned and wanted sets: A few months ago someone, who was colour-blind, said they couldn't distinguish the green colour used to indicate set and minifig ownership. So I've added the ability for the colours to be changed from your profile page. If you have difficulty seeing the colours, or simply don't like the wishy-washy green and purple default colours, you can now change them to anything you like. A colour-picker will pop-up when you click in the textboxes and will provide plenty of choice, but if the exact colour you want is not shown you can simply enter its hex value.
Control 'I want' from the set gallery: Several people complained in the forum that they couldn't set their 'I want' flag any more and I believe it was because they were viewing the set lists in the gallery view which, until now, didn't provide the ability to do so. It does now...
Searching for multiple sets: If you wanted to send someone a link to an arbitrary list of sets you would have had to resort to creating a BrickList and send them the link to that. Now, you can specify multiple sets in the search box (and thus, also on the search page query string) by separating their numbers with a comma. e.g. 6876-1,6887-1. The resultant search results page URL is http://www.brickset.com/search/?query=6876-1,6887-1. BrickLists will remain the best way to do it but this provides a quick-and-dirty method.
Displaying multiple years in the theme browser: You can now specify multiple years on the theme browser query string, e.g. http://www.brickset.com/browse/themes/?theme=Creator&year=2001,2002,2003
Embedding set details on your blog or web page: You might have noticed on set details pages such as this one, there is a new 'Share' tab at the bottom that shows how you can embed set details on your website using an iFrame, much like you would do a YouTube video. I've been testing this with the good folks over at BrickFanatics and Bricktrader and it seems to work OK. Give it a go and see it's of use to you: if so, let me know and I'll continue to enhance it.
Minifig browsing: Over the last few weeks I've been enhancing the minifig browsing pages, and they are now just about done. The index page needs 'tarting up' a bit but functionally I think it's complete and a vast improvement on the somewhat muddled and inconsistent pages that were there before.
I think that's all, other than some minor changes to the web services interface. As usual, LMKWYT: As you can see, Brickset thrives on user feedback...
54 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2602 views
-
How to watch the Ninjago cartoons on your iDevice
Posted by Huw, 21 Oct 2012 14:15. Filed under Miscellaneous.
As you can tell from the comments to the Ultra Sonic Raider review below, I'm starting to show myself up with a lack of Ninjago knowledge :-)Aanchir rightly suggests that I should watch the cartoons to remedy that. Unfortunately they were never shown on UK TV because the rules here state that kids' TV programmes can't be about pre-existing toys. (the cartoon must come first before the toys, not the other way round as is the case with these: they are, after all, just long adverts).
They are available to view at ninjago.LEGO.com, but in Flash format which of course means they can't be viewed on an Apple device. There are some episodes on YouTube but the ones I found have been ripped from TV and have massive channel logos etc. on them which is unacceptable to me.
It's not much fun sitting in front of a PC, even a laptop, watching videos, so I looked round for a technical solution. There is one, that works well, but it will cost you a few bucks. I figured others might be interested in how to do it, so I'm documenting it here for you. Here goes...
- Fire up your FireFox browser and download and install FLV Movies downloader
- Go to the UK Ninago site (the 2012 cartoons are not listed on the US one for some reason)
- Start to play the first few seconds of each of the 13 episodes. This is enough for the downloader to detect their URL
- On FireFox's menu: Tools | Download flv | Show detected movies. You should see a list of at least the 13 episodes with names like E0110_1080p_480x270.f4v (which is episode 10)
- Click on each one in turn and click on the Download file button on the right
- All 13 movies will be downloaded to your PC. They are about 120Mb each.
Now, on your iDevice, download GoodPlayer video player, which'll cost you £1.99 or $2.99. There may well be free ones around that will work, but one great thing about this one is that you can transfer the video files to it over wifi without needing to faff about with iTunes.
So, I renamed the downloaded videos to something consistent and copied them via wifi to my iPad and I'm now all set to enjoy them and become enlightened :-)
I hope you found that useful. Our normal LEGO news service will be resumed as soon as possible...
23 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3413 views
-
Pick of the week: Ultra Sonic Raider
Posted by Huw, 21 Oct 2012 05:12. Filed under Pick of the week.
It's about time we had another Pick of the Week, isn't it...This week I've just built 9449 Ninjago Ultra Sonic Raider, which I acquired three of in the recent Argos 3-for-2 offer (then passed two on to others at GWLS). It retails at £60, or US$80, so it cost me £40.
It's a bit of a weird vehicle, to be honest, what with caterpillar tracks at the front and huge Technic motorcycle wheels and the back, but I guess it works, just...
The flying contraption can be detached from the back. and its blades splayed out using a clever Technic mechanism.The pictures on the box show the grey pipe-things pointing forwards but that looks a bit daft, IMO, so I pointed them back for this photo. They look more like exhaust pipes than weapons or whatever to my eye.
The vehicle, once the flying thing has been removed, is a bit sparse. The cab area is nicely designed, though, and the caterpillar tracks in dark brown are very nice, and unique to this set. I'm not sure that the flexi-pieces with daggers sticking out work particularly well, but I guess they are needed to make it a bit more interesting and add apparent 'bulk' to the design.
The highlight of the set for many will be this chap, Pythor, who's the king of the Serpentine. His tail-piece is used on other Ninjago snakes, but his head is unique, and very nice it is too.The set also comes with all four (red/blue/white/black) ZX Ninjas and Spitta. The box and instructions state 'Jay ZX and Zane ZX included'. Why is that I wonder? Why are the other two not mentioned in that statement? Are they not as important? It's not as if those two are unique to this set: far from it.
Overall then, it was an interesting build and quite fun to play with. The six minifigs are great, and it's a convenient way to get all four ZX ninjas at once.
At the moment the set has been reduced by £10 to £50 at Amazon.co.uk, which is the lowest it's been. It's still at the retail price of $80 at Amazon.com. It's not been reduced there much in the past, and I guess probably won't be during the run-up to Christmas.
13 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2850 views
-
Batman: Arkham Asylum Breakout now listed at shop.lego.com
Posted by Grahame, 20 Oct 2012 15:49. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (General).
Batman: Arkham Asylum Breakout is now listed at shop.lego.com with pricing, and a release date of 01 January 2013. Thanks to Mcotter for finding this one!
14 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5244 views
-
Friends collectables
Posted by Huw, 20 Oct 2012 11:53. Filed under New sets.
The first pictures of four of series 1 and 2 of the Friends collectables have been found on the German website, along with most of the Creator sets. It's a bit of a PITA to find them on the site though. I've downloaded 10,000 images and visually sifted through them to find the LEGO ones. I've probably missed some, so more images will probably surface later.
28 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5067 views
-
Next Sun promotion: dates and sets confirmed
Posted by Huw, 20 Oct 2012 04:34. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Here's the confirmation we've been waiting for. The offer starts Saturday next week and the sets are as stated first by Rich at Brick Fanatics.It looks as if they are in the order stated, too. Here's atkinsar's BrickList so you can see which ones you need.
Typically, the best ones are at the weekend, when the paper is most expensive!
Thanks to number5 for posting the link in the forum.
30 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5868 views
-
Images of 2013 Friends sets now available
Posted by Huw, 20 Oct 2012 04:18. Filed under New sets.
The German website did indeed have a few more 2013 images: most of the first wave of Friends boxed sets. It looks as if the girls are having fun after school: soccer practice, karate, magic, music and swimming!
A number of smaller LEGO blogs have taken to republishing news that first appears here without attributing the original source, which annoys me. By all means republish but ensure that a link back to Brickset is included. Let's see which ones pick this story up and don't do so. Shall I name and shame?
Thanks to Anak for the detective work!
19 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4266 views
-
Horizon Express now listed at shop.lego.com
Posted by Grahame, 19 Oct 2012 18:49. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (General).
The Horizon Express is now listed at shop.lego.com with pricing, and a release date of 01 January 2013. Looks like Christmas will be cancelled this year as I save up hard for all the new 2013 releases...
21 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5267 views
-
City Fuel Tanker picture
Posted by Huw, 19 Oct 2012 17:22. Filed under New sets.
Vidiator uncovered this picture on a German website, It's a beauty, isn't it!
There might be larger images of other 2013 sets on the site too but I haven't been able to find them. If you can, please let me know.
31 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4926 views
-
2013: information/image round-up
Posted by Huw, 19 Oct 2012 06:20. Filed under New sets.
Given the flurry of activity last night, I thought it worth summarizing what the early new year launches are likely to be:
-
Bricks and More, 6 sets.
These are branded 'For Young Builders'. We have images for two; both of which come in very smart looking carry cases. -
City, 13 sets.
More fire, more police, but also three great looking trucks. The fuel tanker and the cement mixer look really cool! -
Creator, 11 sets.
Other than the Horizon Express, we have no images yet of other Creator sets. -
Duplo, 18 sets.
We haven't found any images of Duplo sets yet but we have 18 sets listed, including zoo-theme ones and Little Mermaid (Ariel) additions to the Disney Princess range. -
Friends, 12 sets in January, 3 in May.
No pictures yet. Eight sets will be 'normal' boxed sets; the other six are foil pack collectables, three due in January and three more in May. -
HERO Factory, 8 sets.
More of the same... -
Legends of Chima, 18 sets.
Nine 'normal' sets, plus seven Speedorz, numbered 3-9, a Chi Battles set (the one that appeared on eBay in the summer) which presumably has numbers 1 and 2 in it, and an Ultimate Tournament set. -
Ninjago, 6 sets.
Six regular sets, no spinners. -
Star Wars, 11 sets in January, 3 in May.
Eight boxed sets, three Planet sets in January and another three in May-ish. -
Super Heroes, 5 sets.
Four that will form the regular retail selection, plus Arkum Asylum. -
Technic, 8 sets.
Some look great (the excavator), others are just more of the same... -
TMNT, 5 sets.
We have pictures of three, the others have yet to surface.
Some of the above sets will almost certainly appear in the US shops just before, or after Thanksgiving, so you do not have long to wait. For us in Europe, we'll probably see some of them in brand stores the week before Christmas.
35 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)7359 views
-
Bricks and More, 6 sets.
-
Looking for Duplo bargains?
Posted by Huw, 19 Oct 2012 04:17. Filed under Shopping (Europe).
By popular demand, we've added Duplo sets to the Amazon Bargain Watch list, just in time for Christmas. There aren't too many bargains to be had from Amazon.co.uk, but Amazon.es and Amazon.it have many sets discounted below 30%, including this Horse Stables set.
If you're up for some cheap Duplo fun, check out our European Amazon shopper page and tick Duplo in the menu.
10 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1938 views
-
City fans: it's not all fire and police next year...
Posted by Huw, 18 Oct 2012 17:22. Filed under New sets.
WOG.ch has also published photos of two of the three City vehicles that are to be released in January: 60017 a roadside assistance truck, and this yellow cement mixer, which looks absolutely fabulous, and possibly the best 2013 set I've seen so far...
30 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5416 views
-
Same Swiss site publishes Legends of Chima, too!
Posted by Huw, 18 Oct 2012 17:00. Filed under New sets.
Photos of almost the entire first wave of Legends of Chima sets have also been published on the Swiss site WOG.ch, along with a number of (yawn...) Star Wars ones, too.
So, now we can get an idea of what they are like, what do you think? Here's the back-story again that might help make sense of them:
"The kingdom of Chima is a magical land in which very advanced species dominate. These creatures speak and act like people. They use vehicles and machines and live in amazing castles and fortresses. They have claws, teeth, tails, and some are equipped with wings. Now they are at war with each other...
"Chima was once a pure, natural paradise, but heavily armed barbarian species have changed it and now best friends have become sworn enemies of each other. Ruthless weapons destroyed the once sacred temples. Blood-thirsty vehicles battle each other in fatal duels in the forest.
"The creatures are fiercely fighting over a powerful natural resource called Chi. which is the source of life but also unimaginable destruction.
"Only a few brave heroes in Chima understand the true nature of Chi, and that its misuse leads to the total destruction of Chima. The stories of these heroes and those who want to destroy them are known as ’The Legends of Chima'."
The Speedorz sets, those that will comprise the gaming element of the theme, have a price of 20 Chf, which I think is about £13 or US$20, so they will be significantly more expensive than the Ninjago spinners they are replacing. They appear to be some sort of two-wheeled vehicle, with a pull-back motor, and some other structure with which they interact.
I now know for certain that the pictures will be removed from WOG.ch within 24 hours, once the 'Brickset effect' kicks in :)
First mentioned in the forum, while I was watching TV with my wife and not paying attention to the site :-)
48 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5861 views
-
Two more 2013 Super Heroes surface on a Swiss site
Posted by Huw, 18 Oct 2012 16:38. Filed under New sets.
I don't know what it is with Swiss websites this year, but they have been the source of many a leak recently. The latest has appeared on one called WOG.ch which has listed two sets we hadn't seen pictures of before: 76000 Batman vs. Mr Freeze - Aquaman on Ice and 76004 Spider-Man - Spider-Cycle Chase. They are a bit small but you can just about make out that the former will come with three minifigs, Batman, Mr. Freeze and, presumably Aquaman, while the latter will come with Spider-Man and (I'm told) Venom and a gun-wielding Nick Fury in the vehicle.
I believe that these two, plus the two revealed at NYCC (76005 and 76001) will be the only four that form the regular retail selection for release early next year.
I predict the pictures will be removed from WOG.ch within 24 hours, once the 'Brickset effect' kicks in :)
Thanks to Kez for the news!
34 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)9021 views
-
DK Ninjago Character Encylopedia available now
Posted by Huw, 18 Oct 2012 14:14. Filed under Book review.
Apologies if I'm a bit late with this news: I've had a copy of this for a few weeks but have been waiting until it was officially released before reviewing it. It seems that Amazon.co.uk is shipping it already so I guess it's OK to tell you about it now...So, DK's latest book, and what I believe is the last one due in 2012, is Ninjago Character Encyclopedia. It's the same size and format as the Harry Potter and Star Wars ones: 170-odd pages, 18cm x 24xm, with a thick front cover to house the exclusive minifig.
The minifig is, apparently, Lloyd ZX but given that he's sporting a torso print that will feature on all the Ninjas in the 2013 sets I suspect his real suffix will be something else when it's revealed next year. Unlike the minifigs in all previous DK books, this one comes unassembled. However, like those in recent DK books, it's not made in a European or Mexican LEGO factory so the plastic is not quite so good as those that are.
It's divided into two sections: Ninja vs. Skeleton (the 2011 series) and Ninja vs. snakes (the 2012 sets). Most of the characters have a page profile like that shown, as do the dragons, vehicles and sets. There are also pages covering the weapons, so it's pretty comprehensive (but see my note below). I guess it can be given it only has to cover two years' worth of sets.I was not a fan of the 2011 sets, the skeletons and their vehicles were too weird for my taste and half the minifigs were 'not made in a European or Mexican LEGO factory' consequently I don't have many of the sets.
However, LEGO came good in 2012 and I'm really lovin' the minifigs, particularly the snakes, so the second half of the book is much more appealing to me.Most of the minifigs get a full two-page spread like those shown, but others are glossed over, such as the Kendo and NRG Ninjas, which share two pages between them, which is a bit of a shame.
The last few pages contain a minifig gallery and also a set gallery, which for some reason doesn't contain any of the spinner sets or booster packs: in fact rather bizarrely neither are mentioned in the book at all, other than occasional references in 'ninja file' boxes on the character profile pages, if they didn't come in any other set (e.g. as on the Samurai X page above).
So, to summarise, this is, as we've come to expect from DK, an excellent book and one that every young Ninjago fan will love to find under the tree at Christmas. For us more discerning AFOLs, it's not quite a 'definitive guide' but it's pretty close.
You can order it from Amazon:
15 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4104 views
-
First French LEGO store opens today
Posted by Huw, 18 Oct 2012 07:59. Filed under Shopping (Europe).
We've had brand stores in the UK for about 10 years so we take them a bit for granted now, but over in France, today is a big day because the first brand store opens there, in Levallois, near Paris.
Brickerik attended a special press event there yesterday evening and has posted pictures on the FreeLUG website. It looks reassuringly the same as every other LEGO brand store :-)
He states that the grand opening event will take place 14-17 November.
I'm guessing that the next one in the world to open will be Watford, UK, although I suspect there will be a flurry of openings in the next month or so during the run-up to Christmas.
8 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2719 views
-
Brickvention 2013 Melbourne Australia – Public Expo Tickets Now on Sale
Posted by Huw, 18 Oct 2012 04:26. Filed under Events (Australia).
Brickvention is an Australian based convention for LEGO fans. It is a two-day event that brings together LEGO fans of all ages from all over Australia to view original and unusual creations built by Australian modellers and collectors.So if you love LEGO, come along and view the amazing creations and models made out of LEGO.
The event features a huge collection of LEGO models including trains, castles, pirate ships, Star Wars, space ships, planes, buildings, sculptures and any more. There will also be competitions, face painting and LEGO sets and merchandise for sale.
The next Brickvention will be held over the weekend of 19 and 20 January 2013 at The Royal Exhibition Building, Nicholson Street, Carlton, Victoria, where anyone can come along and view the amazing creations made out of LEGO.
Public expo tickets are on sale from the official website. We recommend that you book tickets early to avoid disappointment. Tickets WILL NOT be available at the door and are only available online.
Information regarding the AFOL convention (Friday 18 January) registration will be available shortly.
5 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1801 views
-
Free shipping has started
Posted by Huw, 17 Oct 2012 04:20. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (General).
The free shipping offer (on orders over £50/$99) at shop.LEGO.com has started this week, although I'm told that despite being informed at the start of the month that it would start yesterday in the UK, it didn't, but it is supposed to today.Click on the banner above to get shopping, and if you're in the UK don't forget to use the promotional code CAKE when you check out to receive a free 40048 Birthday Cake, exclusively to visitors to AFOL sites!
23 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3002 views
-
Two more TMNT images have surfaced
Posted by Huw, 17 Oct 2012 03:42. Filed under New sets.
CM4S posted images of 79102 Stealth Shell in Pursuit and 79103 Turtle Lair Attack in the forum overnight. I've no idea where they came from, and given they have no LEGO logo on them they look a bit 'dodgy' but the absence of any confidential watermarking means I can use them in the database. (Update: here's the original source).
79102 comes with three minifigs: Raphael, Fishface and a foot soldier. 79103 contains five: Foot soldier, Leonardo, Raphael, Splinter and a dark ninja.
48 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5852 views
-
CONFIRMED: TOYS R US CANADA 50% OFF SALE
Posted by fuelbreak, 16 Oct 2012 19:12. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
We've just received news that Toys R Us Canada will be offering 50% off the following themes between October 19-25. This has not been officially confirmed but it's worthwhile to plan accordingly. Thank you Brickset user TZI for the news.
Toy Story, Alien Conquest, Pharaohs Quest, Atlantis and Racers.
18 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3102 views
-
Friends Brickmaster book out now
Posted by Huw, 16 Oct 2012 15:06. Filed under Book review.
Meet Chloe (left), Mia's friend from school. Chloe's not in the girls' club, but she's always welcome at club meetings!Chloe is an exclusive Friends character that is only available with the new Friends Brickmaster book, that has been published by Dorling Kindersley, and sub-titled "Treasure Hunt in Heartlake City".
It follows the format of all the other Brickmasters, which is a good thing. It comes with 103 parts and the two mini-dolls. There are instructions for five different models, including the chair and window illustrated. The models follow the plot of a story: finding a map, building a raft, setting sail, discovering treasure, getting home and having a nice cup of tea :-)
Luis over at Comunidade 0937 has posted a review in Portuguese and photos on the club's website (translated through Google). He's not too impressed with it, although I do agree with him that the parts are a bit of a mix of colours resulting in BOLOCs models.
Nevertheless I think it will hit the spot with the target audience and if you have someone in it to buy a gift for at Christmas time, it will be well received and provide hours of entertainment, more so than an equivalently priced normal Friends set would.
It can be ordered from Amazon.com
($20) | Amazon.co.uk
(£9.50) | Amazon.de
(€23) | Amazon.fr
(€23.50).
9 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3092 views
-
Creations For Charity : helping underprivileged children
Posted by Huw, 16 Oct 2012 07:53. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Creations for Charity is an annual fundraising event to give new and official LEGO sets to underprivileged children during the holidays, which is organised by top MOCer Nannan.The charity raises money by selling custom LEGO creations made by LEGO builders from all over the world.
Since 2009, they have raised about $17,000 and donated over 1,100 brand new LEGO sets to organisations like Toys for Tots, Make-A-Wish, and children's hospitals across multiple cities in the US.
This year, they are expanding their donations to two countries outside the US: Chile and Croatia, and they need a lot more funds to to make this happen.
So how can you help?
- Buy custom models and other donated items in the CfC BrickLink store
- Donate a model to be sold there
- If there's nothing there that takes your fancy, you can commission a model to be made just for you, or simply donate the sum of your choosing at Indiego. There are a number of incentives available, some of which are very cool indeed.
Find out more in the forum, or head on over to the official CfC site. This is a very worthy cause and I encourage you to, in Nannan's words, "Join the crowd and take part in the LEGO community's annual tradition of giving back!"
4 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2011 views
-
First French Store officially opens on Thursday
Posted by Huw, 16 Oct 2012 07:44. Filed under Shopping (Europe).
An email mail-shot has gone out to, presumably, shop.LEGO.com buyers in France to announce the opening of the store near Paris:The LEGO Store SO WEST opens its doors on October 18!
We are very pleased to announce the opening of the first LEGO Store in France, Levallois-Perret, in the mall SO WEST.
Visit the LEGO Store to participate in exciting events, enjoy good deals and buy exclusive sets!
SO WEST Mall, 16 rue de Lorraine, 92300 Levallois-Perret. More details here.
If you go on opening day, please let us know and post some photos. (Thanks supersympa for the news).
13 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2500 views
-
Server problems this morning
Posted by Huw, 16 Oct 2012 05:34. Filed under Brickset.
We experienced a few problems this morning which resulted in the site being unavailable for a time. I believe it's now back up and running okay. Let me know if you encounter any issues.
8 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1847 views
-
The Goblin King Battle Video
Posted by Grahame, 15 Oct 2012 13:56. Filed under New sets.
Head on over to the LEGO YouTube channel to see a video for The Hobbit set, The Goblin King Battle.
Thanks to cjg for this news!
16 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3425 views
-
Sun promotion news
Posted by Huw, 15 Oct 2012 08:16. Filed under Shopping (UK).
Rich over at BrickFanatics has reported there and in the forum that The Sun promotion, that we've all been eagerly awaiting, will start on 27th October.
The list of sets is allegedly as per the list below, which has also been made into a Bricklist by atkinsar.
30163: Thor and the Cosmic cube
30165: Hawkeye with equipment
30162: Quinjet
30017: City Police Boat
30200: Zombie chauffeur coffin car
30152: City Mining Quad
30085: Ninjago Jumping Snakes
30210: Lord of the Rings Frodo with cooking corner
30211: Lord of the Rings Uruk Hai with ballistaThat looks to be entirely plausible, and more so than the previous list that surfaced on a non-LEGO site a while ago.
There's some really great sets in the list and I think I'm right in saying that Quinjet hasn't appeared anywhere else yet, so that is definitely one to look out for. In fact, none of them have appeared in the UK before, so we'll all need to be traipsing down to WHS to do battle with the grannies and scalpers every day :-)
46 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)9610 views
-
Brickset members own 1 BILLION pieces
Posted by Huw, 14 Oct 2012 15:32. Filed under Brickset.
Just six weeks since we, as a community, owned a combined total of $100,000,000 worth of LEGO (see this news article), we now own at least 1 BILLION pieces of LEGO between us!Given that it's shared between the 44,600 people that record their collections on the site, that's an average of 22,400 pieces each!
If we assume that the average height of a piece is 10 mm (roughly the height of a brick) then if we were to stack them all on top of each other, it would reach a height of 10,000 km. If we assume that the average width of a piece is 15 mm (roughly the width of a 1 x 2 brick) and we were to lay them side by side, they'd reach 15,000 km which is more than the diameter of the Earth (12,000 km) and about 1/3rd of its circumference.
According to Wikipedia, LEGO estimated (in 2008) that it has produced some 400 billion parts in total. Annual production averages approximately 36 billion per year, so the total made to 2012 is something like 600 billion. Our total then, is around 1/600th of the total ever made.
46 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2928 views
-
News from the Iberian Peninsula
Posted by Huw, 12 Oct 2012 14:14. Filed under Events (Europe).
Here's a couple of items Lluis from HispaBrick has sent me that I've been meaning to post:Toys R Us promotion
From today to Oct 31st:
- Star Wars and CITY - 2nd unit at 50% (Discount on the cheaper set)
- If you spend 30€ or more on SW products you'll get a 5000062 Darth Maul for freeHispabrick Magazine event in December
The event will take place in Terrassa, province of Barcelona on 7 and 8 December 2012. The exhibition area will be located on the first floor of the Museu de la Ciència i de la Tècnica de Catalunya (mMACTEC)
Rambla d'ègara, 270 - 08221 Terrassa
The event will be open to the public during both days, but if you would like to participate as an exhibitor and share in the experience of a LEGO event you need to register. You can do so by filling in this form. You'll be able to exhibit and participate in the exclusive activities for exhibitors that will take place during the event.More information is available at the Hispabrick Magazine website.
8 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2064 views
-
The Stig keyring
Posted by Huw, 12 Oct 2012 13:44. Filed under New sets.
James S ordered one on Tuesday and received it today. There's no number on the tag, and the helmet and visor are not removable. So, his identity remains a secret :-)
22 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)14332 views
-
Instructions for NYCC exclusive tin
Posted by Huw, 12 Oct 2012 06:16. Filed under New sets.
Brickset member murphquake (Bill Murphy) is at NYCC and has photographed the instructions for the NYCC landspeeder tin. It looks as if there are some new and rare parts in this one so it might not be as easy to make as the other two.You can download them as a PDF exclusively from Brickset.
If you're at the event, don't forget to visit the I LUG NY display, which has been put on at the request of LEGO. "We've got 60+ feet of LEGO SW/LOTR/DC & Marvel in Section 1B booth #201. It's actually just downstairs from the main hall and we're really proud of the display, so we'd like the AFOL community to come on by" says Bill.
He's also posting some cool stuff on flickr, so keep an eye out during the day.
14 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3466 views
-
An Unexpected Gathering Video
Posted by Grahame, 11 Oct 2012 22:03. Filed under New sets.
Head on over to the LEGO YouTube channel to see a video for The Hobbit set, An Unexpected Gathering.
Thanks to skipper1011 for this news!
19 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3538 views
-
Toys R Us Canada 2 days to TRADE your minifigure.
Posted by fuelbreak, 11 Oct 2012 14:45. Filed under Shopping (Canada).
Happening October 13 and 14, Toys R Us is calling it their Trade In Weekend.
I'm not sure of what Toys R Us will have for trading at the start of the weekend, but it is an interesting concept. I am also unsure if it is restricted only to the collectable Minifigure series (Series 8?), but it's worth checking out if you have an army of doubles. Read the details on their website.
Also: Exclusive Darth Maul is available starting October 12 with a minimum purchase of $35 on Star Wars LEGO.
20 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4286 views
-
2013 Super Heroes revealed at NYCC
Posted by Huw, 11 Oct 2012 10:18. Filed under New sets.
There's loads of NYCC news over at FBTB, including pictures of 76001 The Bat vs. Bane - Tumbler Chase, and 76005 Spider-Man - Daily Bugle Showdown.
The details are:
76001: $39.99, Piece Count: 368, Minifigures: Batman, Bane, Commissioner Gordon
76005: $49.99, Piece Count: 476, Minifigures: Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, Jonah Jameson, Nova, BeetleBoth sets will be available in January, or more likely, after Thanksgiving in the USA.
78 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)9787 views
-
TMNT unveiled already!
Posted by Huw, 11 Oct 2012 09:29. Filed under New sets.
This picture of 79104, The Shellraiser Street Chase, and others has surfaced on non-LEGO sites (shame on LEGO for stitching up AFOL sites, again...)
It, and others that show the minifigs, have been posted on Gizmodo.
I'm hoping for an official press release later from LEGO but I won't hold my breath...
The set comes with Leonardo, Michelangelo, Dogpound, The Kraang a foot soldier minifigs, which is different to what Gizmodo claims: don't they know Leonardo wears blue and Michelangelo orange? :-)
(Thanks to commenters in the earlier thread)
73 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)9501 views
-
Exclusive Top Gear Stig keyring available
Posted by Huw, 11 Oct 2012 05:07. Filed under Miscellaneous.
If you're a fan of the TV series Top Gear, you'll want to grab this LEGO Stig keyring, which is available as an offer for Top Gear magazine readers.There are 10,000 available and one can be yours for just £2.49, from here. Offer is only available to UK residents, unfortunately.
A promotional code is needed to be able to place an order, which is presumably printed in the magazine. I'm not going to publish it here -- it would be wrong of me to undermine the offer --however less scrupulous sites have done so, so head on over to this one to find out what it is.
Thanks to Lunchie for the news.
39 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)11349 views
-
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles sets to be unveiled today
Posted by Huw, 11 Oct 2012 04:48. Filed under New sets.
FBTB is reporting that today, at 3pm EST, the TMNT sets will be unveiled at New York Comic Con. That's 8 pm in London, isn't it?This is a theme that frankly, I have no interest in whatsoever. I was too old to have watched the cartoons as a kid and my daughters weren't interested in them when they were young.
Still, with 2013 shaping up to be a fairly interesting year, at least there'll be some sets that I won't need to buy.
What are your thoughts on them? Will you buy them? What do you think the turtle minifigs will look like?
49 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5590 views
-
Swiss toy shop reveals 2013 Ninjago and City sets
Posted by Huw, 10 Oct 2012 13:38. Filed under New sets.
Swiss shop Thali has posted pictures of next year's City and Ninjago sets.Thanks to TAFOL for the news, and sorry this post is rather brief, I'm just on my way out to a concert!
Update: I've added the images to the database and also added names of the Lone Ranger sets, that have been provided by a source that wants to remain anonymous. See everything we know about 2013 on the new 2013 year browsing page.
Update: Swiss shop Thali has removed the images :-)
83 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)22545 views
-
New brand store opening in Watford
Posted by Huw, 10 Oct 2012 04:19. Filed under Shopping (UK).
It seems that hardly a week goes by without a LEGO brand store opening somewhere in the world, which is of course great news for us.The next one to open in the UK will be in Watford, in the Harlequin shopping centre. A slightly strange choice given the proximity of the stores in London and Milton Keynes, but nevertheless very welcome to those that live nearby, including our very own DrDaveWatford.
If you fancy a job there, the manager's job is currently being advertised.
All we (sorry, I) need now is one in the Portsmouth/Southampton area. Hopefully it won't be long now! (thanks bluemoose for the news)
56 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5290 views
-
And the winner is...
Posted by Huw, 09 Oct 2012 13:31. Filed under Brickset.
The votes are in, and the winner of the Super Heroes Movie competition can now be announced!
I enlisted the help of three judges who each marked the 33 videos on the story line, the production quality and the entertainment value, giving a maximum of 10 points in each category to give a total of 30. Each video could therefore score a maximum of 120 points.
I really enjoyed watching them all and seeing the ingenuity and thought that went into them. Before announcing the winner, there are four others that I'd like to mention, which are all excellent and are all worthy of winning.
5. Madaboutlego, Super Heroes v Monster (85 points). Very well made with smooth animation and great sets. The story has some nice humour in it.
4. CollectorJosh, Code Red (85 points). Another very well made one with a great story line. I particularly liked the transformation of Tony Stark to Iron Man, and Captain America's head transformation is genius! The security door sequence at 26 seconds in is also very well done.
3. Soowenwei, Never Forget (86 points). Batman helps kid, kid gives Batman ice cream, kid grows up to be a fireman, fireman helps Batman, fireman gives Batman ice cream. A wonderfully rounded story that warrants repeat viewings.
2. MarcAndreCaron, Luthor's Big Fail (90 points). Extremely good animation, with some great effects such as Batman swimming, rockets launching and Superman's cape rustling.
And now, without further ado... the winner is chuckp, From the Minds of Marvel, with 95 points.
A superb story line, brilliantly executed and a pleasure to watch again and again. A worthy winner, I'm sure you'll agree. Chuck wins the Super Heroes minifigs. I wish I had enough of them to give to everyone, but unfortunately I don't, but I would like to give the four runners-up something even better, and rarer: an exclusive Brickset minifig! So, please get in touch and I'll get them in the post to you.
17 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2692 views
-
Brickset enhancements
Posted by Huw, 09 Oct 2012 03:50. Filed under Brickset.
I've just rolled out some changes to the core functionality of Brickset -- searching and browsing -- that I've been working on for the last few weeks.Most of the changes I've added over the last year or so have been targeted at making it easier for you to part with your money via Brickset, so changes to the basics are a bit overdue.
The changes are mostly subtle, there's nothing revolutionary here, but I'm hoping that they will make it much easier to search and browse, and also make it a more pleasurable experience when visiting Brickset.
Here's a list of what's changed:
- New list view: To complement the familiar tabular and gallery views of search results, there is now a list view that shows results in a compact table. You'll see a new button above the search results table that will allow you to select the list view. You can sort the table using the drop-down column list above it, or by clicking on the column headings.
- Table view has been tidied up: The default search results view has been tidied up a bit, particularly the details and collection columns.
- Theme browser enhancements: There are now new ways to browse through themes, and improved information in the menu. Previously you could use links above the table to browse by year, moving backwards or forwards through time to view sets in the theme released each year. Now, you can also browse through subthemes in the same way. The section in the menu 'My {theme name} Collection' now shows totals by the links, so you can see at a glance how many sets you own and want.
- New year browser: Browsing all sets released in a given year was a bit of a PITA before now because the general search results page was used for displaying them which didn't have the same features as the theme browser. So now, whenever you're looking at sets released in a given year, you'll now do so using the year browser (here's an example) which provides easy ways to flick through themes, or move back and forth through time. There's also a 'My {year} Collection' section in the menu so you can easily see which sets you own, and want, that were released that year.
- Non-normal set highlighting: Anything that's not a normal set, or hasn't been released, is now shown with a light grey background in the table/list views. A 'normal' set is anything that has a numeric set number allocated by LEGO and is not Gear.
- Enhancements to the web services search method: See the documentation for more information.
- The Advanced query builder is now out of beta. If you haven't tried this yet, it enables you to create complex queries on the database and retrieve very specific results.
- Search help page: Now that there are multiple ways of searching, I've written a help page explaining them all.
I hope you find the changes useful. I'll be keeping an eye on the error logs today to see if any problems surface, but if you find something that's not working, please let me know.
Next, I will tackle the pages that display minifig lists as there are too many different versions of them and they are somewhat hard to find.
23 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2221 views
-
LEGO improves its online inventories
Posted by Huw, 08 Oct 2012 17:29. Filed under LEGO.com.
You may recall that in August I introduced a feature to the site to extract set inventories from the LEGO.com customer services replacement parts page (here's the announcement) and display them on the set details page in a form that is more useful to us.At the time, as you can read in the comments, it was considered to be about as useful as a chocolate tea pot because the LEGO inventories were very incomplete, and included only basic parts.
Over the weekend, shaase emailed to say that he'd noticed that they seemed to have been improved and recent set inventories now include nearly every part, so today I re-ran the script that imports them and he's right, they have been significantly improved. This means the Parts tab on the set details pages is far more useful. Here's an example showing minifig parts, new canopies and everything.
The reason some parts are in the last 'New/Unsorted' section is that the list obtained from LEGO.com is cross-referenced with another list I have that gives colours for each part number. It's a bit old though, which is why new parts are not on it, and why they thus appear in this section.
What this also means is that it would now be feasible to 'crowd-source' the missing information: to cross-check the data at LEGO.com with that in the back of the instructions and add missing parts and colours and also, most importantly, to gather part quantities, which are not provided at LEGO.com.
Don't expect that to happen overnight, but watch this space...
11 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2916 views
-
GWLS live video stream
Posted by Huw, 07 Oct 2012 06:22. Filed under Events (UK).
It's now the second day of GWLS and the halls are heaving again. It's been great to see so many Bricksetters here this year. The badges have worked well!
If you can't make it here you can get a idea of what's going on via the live video stream.
0 comments (Commenting has ended on this article)1150 views
-
The Hobbit sets revealed at last
Posted by Huw, 06 Oct 2012 12:45. Filed under New sets.
While at GWLS today I was bombarded with emails about this poster that's surfaced from somewhere. (thank you everyone, including supersympa who was first, for keeping me informed!)It's a bit lo-res but you can just about make out what they'll be like.
Sorry I can't attribute the original source but it's certainly appeared at The Brick Fan and also at YouTube.
Hopefully someone will do a decent scan of it soon. If you know more about it, or if there is one out there already, please post in the comments.
Update: Missingno has provided some great scans on flickr. I've added them here (I hope he doesn't mind :-) ) but check out his gallery for higher-resolution versions.
57 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)8770 views
-
Unveiling LEGO Exclusive: 10937 - Arkham Asylum
Posted by Grahame, 06 Oct 2012 03:16. Filed under New sets.
The newest LEGO exclusive, 10937 – Arkham Asylum, was unveiled in Seattle during Brick Con. Arkham Asylum is the famous ‘sanitarium’ from the Batman comics, movies, and TV shows, and features many of Batman’s most iconic villains who have wound up imprisoned due to their less than stable, mental states.
Here's the full press release:
10937 Batman - Arkham Asylum Breakout, 1,619 pieces.
US $159.99 CA $209.99 DE 159.99€ UK £129.99 DK 1399.00 DKK
The villains have broken out of Arkham Asylum and must be stopped!
Sound the alarm! The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow have escaped from Arkham Asylum with the help of Dr. Harleen Quinzel. These villains are about to wreak havoc in the streets of Gotham City! Help Caped Crusaders Batman and Robin swoop into action and put those good-for-nothing criminals back where they belong! Chase after the security van as it breaks through the gothic gates! Then throw each villain back behind bars in 8 highly detailed rooms. Includes 8 minifigures: Batman, Robin, The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Scarecrow and a guard, all with assorted weapons or accessories.
- Includes 8 minifigures: Batman, Robin, The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Scarecrow and a guard, all with assorted weapons.
- Features Arkham Asylum, security gate, gothic décor, moss, vines and ice elements.
- Vehicles include security van.
- Security van features opening back doors, removable roof and stretcher.
- Arkham Asylum features opening cell doors, special Poison Ivy cell with transparent doors, the Mr. Freeze icy tower room, the Dr. Harleen Quinzel office and changing room, medical treatment room and security reception area.
- Security gate features opening double doors and security camera.
- Weapons include Batarang and kendo stick.
- Recapture the villains!
- Break through the gate with the security van!
- Open all of the cell doors and let the villains out!
- Unleash The Joker from his cage restraints in the security van!
- Arkham Asylum measures over 12" (32cm) high, 13" (34cm) wide and 5" (14cm) deep.
- Security van measures over 2" (7cm) high, 5" (13cm) long and 2" (6cm) wide.
- Security gate measures over 5" (12cm) high and 9" (24cm) wide.
Available for sale directly through LEGO beginning January 2013.
59 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)14623 views
-
I'm off to GWLS now...
Posted by Huw, 05 Oct 2012 03:58. Filed under Brickset.
I've just about managed to squeeze everything into the car so I'm about to head off. I look forward to seeing some of you there! If you're not coming, the official blog will be updated over the weekend with all the goss from the show :-)
If you're heading to BrickCon in Seattle, I hope you have fun there, too!
I suspect Brickset will be quiet over the weekend, what with almost all the UK based staff at the show, but we'll try and keep an eye on it when we can. However, stay tuned because early next week I will be implementing enhancements to the core functionality of the site -- searching and browsing -- some of which are long overdue.
Finally, I think there's a network problem where Brickset is hosted because it, and other sites hosted there, are a bit slow this morning. I've logged a call with the help desk so hopefully it will be resolved once the USA wakes up, at lunchtime :-)
From Grahame: The Big Model Train Show is on this weekend in Christchurch, New Zealand, where I am supposed to be displaying my LEGO trains but unfortunately due to a back injury, I'm not able to do any lifting or bending so I will not be exhibiting this year. I'll go along to the show in the morning but will just be sitting down somewhere taking it easy.
11 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2397 views
-
Third Star Wars mini-tin at NYCC
Posted by Huw, 04 Oct 2012 05:59. Filed under New sets.
FBTB is reporting that there's going to be a third Star Wars mini-set-in-a-tin, this time it's available at New York Comic Con that takes place in a couple of weeks.This dinky landspeeder comes with a Luke minifig and once again it looks as if it'll be easy enough to make from parts you have already.
Update: beegeedee has had a go at reverse-engineering the model in LDD and has posted instructions in the forum.
24 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4619 views
-
Win LOTR goodies!
Posted by Huw, 03 Oct 2012 08:40. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Here's another opportunity to put your creative skills to use.Gaming news site GamerKitten has teamed up with Bricktrader (run by Brickset member TyoSolo) and is running a competition with LotR sets and video games up for grabs. All you have to do is make a 2 minute movie using LEGO that depicts a scene from a video game.
Head on over to GamerKitten to find out more...
13 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2917 views
-
GWLS: 3 days to go
Posted by Huw, 03 Oct 2012 08:00. Filed under Events (UK).
The biggest LEGO show in the UK calendar is now just 3 days away. Virtually the whole of the UK AFOL community will descend on Swindon this weekend for what promises to be the best GWLS yet.
I hope you've enjoyed reading the official blog that I've been contributing to over the last month or so. I've been writing about some of the people, models and vendors that will be there, and yesterday we published the list of the presentations that'll be taking place on both days. They are always very entertaining and worth taking 15 minutes out to go and watch. They also provide a welcome opportunity to sit down for a while!
As you know, we are providing badges for Brickset users so that we can identify each other. If you put your name on the list last week, we'll have a printed badge for you that can be collected from the admin. desk just inside the entrance of the large exhibition hall. If you didn't put your name on the list, don't worry, we'll also have some blanks that you can write your name on.
I've just put the finishing touches on my section of railway for the GWLTC train layout and I'm now about all ready to go. I hope to see loads of you there!
Update: the floor plan has been published: the GWLTC layout will be right next to the admin desk, so it'll be even easier for you to find me, if you want to that is!
1 comment, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)1569 views
-
Technic Design Competition: You design it – We make it!
Posted by Huw, 02 Oct 2012 06:50. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Posted on behalf of LEGO's community team:
You are invited to take part in the most exciting competition in LEGO Technic history!
Design a special top for our new 9398 4x4 Crawler!
You can do it!
New to LEGO Technic? Or a seasoned veteran builder with a basement full of elements? Not important. We’ve got the chassis, so if you have a great idea for an awesome design to go with it, don’t let anything hold you back!
Upload a picture of your design to the LEGO Technic Co-Creations Gallery.
You can draw a model, use paper, sticks and glue, LEGO, or something completely different.The prize
If you win, you can call yourself an honorary LEGO Technic Designer! We help you get the complete Technic design and building experience perfect. And the best part? We produce 20,000 of your unique model as exclusive collectibles!
You can find all the details on how to enter, tips and inspiration, and pictures of the chassis you need to use on lego.com/technic .The competition is open until midnight, December 31, 2012. But hurry -- you need time to get enough votes to make the top 100 and be considered for the final!
We can’t wait to see your creations! -- The LEGO Technic design team.
12 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4852 views
-
10227 UCS B-Wing reviews
Posted by Huw, 02 Oct 2012 06:02. Filed under Miscellaneous.
Thinking of buying the new B-Wing? Brickset member cavegod built it a few weeks ago (and will be bringing it to GWLS at the weekend I believe) and you may recall he wrote a brief review.
Now that it's out 'in the wild', a couple of other reviews have surfaced that will help your buying decision:
- Ace Kim has posted a nice pictorial review at FBTB, with some 90-odd images on flickr. I'm not sure about the curtains, but it sounds as if he has a good excuse :-)
- James over at Star Wars news site Jedi News has also just published a lengthy pictorial review
Between the two you should be able to determine if it's the set for you. The reviews are actually mixed: Ace's review as an experienced LEGO builder and owner (I suspect) of most SW sets, finds flaws in its design and build, whereas the Jedi News review is more positive, perhaps because to the reviewer, all LEGO Star Wars is cool regardless of any minor niggles. Read them both and make up your own mind.
Do you have it? What do you think of it?
I'm still undecided whether to buy it or not. I don't usually buy the large UCS models because (a) I find I can't be bothered to build the ones I do have, and (b) what do you do with them once they are built, other than let them gather dust??
If you are in the market for one, be sure to use these links to help keep Brickset on-air!: UK | USA | Canada.
15 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)5069 views
-
2013 LEGO Inside Tour dates announced
Posted by Huw, 01 Oct 2012 08:17. Filed under Miscellaneous.
The LEGO Inside Tour dates for 2013 were announced at midday (London time) today, and registration is now open.The dates are as follows:
- May 29th – 31st
- June 12th – 14th
- June 19th – 21st
It's an expensive event, but a once-in-a-lifetime experience that shouldn't be missed. If you're thinking of going you should register for a place right away: there are only 25 places on each tour and they sell out quickly.The cost is 13000 DKK which is approximately £1300 / US$2400 / €1700.
27 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)4937 views
-
Turkey's on the menu again
Posted by Huw, 01 Oct 2012 07:20. Filed under New sets.
I guess this new turkey (40033) must be appearing in brand stores now, in the USA at least, because there are some listed on eBay already.
Like the other turkey polybags that have been released recently, to which this one bears more than a passing resemblance, I don't suppose it'll be available outside North America. Hopefully I'm wrong, though...
7 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2890 views
-
The Super Heroes movie competition is now closed
Posted by Huw, 01 Oct 2012 04:33. Filed under Brickset.
There was a flurry of activity overnight and the total number of movies submitted ended up being 34, which is very impressive! You can see them all for yourself in the forum.I've had a great time watching them as they have been added but now I need to judge them properly and find a winner. However, so that it's not just down to my preferences, I'd like to enroll three other people to help judge them.
Update: I have enough volunteers now, thank you!
I'll aim to publish the results later this week, although next weekend is GWLS and I'm a bit tied up in preparations for that, so it might be early next week. So stay tuned, and thank you to everyone who's entered. Good luck!
4 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2419 views
-
October promotions at shop.LEGO.com (UK)
Posted by Huw, 01 Oct 2012 03:39. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (UK).
For once, our offers are slightly better than those in the USA and Canada:
- Double VIP Points
- FREE TC-14 Minifigure with any Star Wars order over £50, while supplies last.
- FREE Shipping on orders of £50 or more (from the 16th).
- 10227 B-Wing Starfighter now available!
- 10229 Winter Village Cottage now available!AND... a special exclusive offer available when you order through Brickset and a couple of other AFOL sites:
- Free 40048 Birthday Cake set with any purchase of £25 or more.
- Valid 1-31 October or while supplies last.
- To redeem, enter CAKE at checkout.
- Valid for UK Online orders ONLYThis offer has been arranged specially for us by the LEGO affiliate manager, in response to my indignation that it wasn't available in the UK earlier in the year at the time it was in the USA, so please show him (and me), your appreciation and place an order!
15 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)3207 views
-
October promotions at shop.LEGO.com (US/Canada)
Posted by Huw, 01 Oct 2012 03:34. Filed under shop.LEGO.com (US/Canada).
It's the first of the month so it's all change for the offers at shop.LEGO.com. During October the offers are as follows:
- Double VIP Points
- FREE TC-14 Minifigure with purchase of 10227 B-Wing Starfighter while supplies last.
- FREE Reusable LEGO Tote Bag with any LEGO DUPLO purchase while supplies last.
- FREE Shipping on orders of $99 or more (from the 15th).
- 10227 B-Wing Starfighter now available!
- 10229 Winter Village Cottage now available!Use these links (USA | Canada) or click on the yellow banner in the top corner and get shopping!
14 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)2795 views
