LEGO Grab Bags to be Discontinued

Despite the exciting news of the 10233 Horizon Express which I will be very happy to have, I have some bad news from the man himself, K. Hinkle.

According to a thread on Eurobricks, and with him quoted, they are no longer allowing Brand Retail to sell Grab Bags. Reason being, there are legal implications to the quality of product and they probably are following legislation to prevent any future lawsuit over "broken" parts, or maybe scratches, or some legal mumbo-jumbo. This obviously seems bad and uncomfortable for the expert builder like myself who has recently begun to live off of these (see a couple past and future entries).

I will look at it in a different eye. He says he is trying to arrange for a solution for us AFOLs, since we are a reasonable fraction of the company's clientele. What can be done?

• All schools where I am at ban the sale of food in "competition" with the cafeteria (seriously, how is someone going to run the cafeteria out of business?) Victims are fundraiser sales for clubs and "(insert holiday here) Grams". Now, if the food is "given" in another sold package (of "Balloons" for example), there is a little bit of going around it.
• In context, clients can be "Given" the parts to fill in a Paid Pick-A-Brick Cup. But to keep it within reason and compliance, I would limit it only to AFOL and people who have known staff of their store. The idea is to prevent any complaint from anyone not seriously into this (general consumer). If you are an AFOL, it is certainly understood any 1-in-1000 complaint is genuine and you're not trying to screw the company. It makes ZERO sense for anyone to inspect the contents of your pick a brick cup, so we all can get our Dark Tan 1x6 bricks there. No one is going to inspect the PAB stock sold anyway. It's just get a plastic cup and fill it with whatever you want. Gum wrappers, megablocks, or maybe real LEGO.
• Now, if the parts have to be given away to someone, maybe WE can benefit from it. The idea is stores may not profit from Grab Bag material [used brick, brick from damaged sets, excess/mistreated PAB brick]. The parts can be given to trusted LUGs as we AFOL are truly the only people that can be "trusted" with used material and will probably not complain at all like any ordinary client could. Lots of fans would not want the material to be thrown away or recycled as it is LEGO and it can last 30-40 years. Remember that this stock is already losing market value when opened and built, and that it already generated big bucks by being advertising space for said set. (Economic principle, think opportunity cost of NOT displaying it!)

I really hope something positive and helpful to us works out in the future.

-$0.02

BIG LEGO Train Surprise! 10233 Horizon Express

10233_box1_na, a photo by fbtb on Flickr.

HOT OFF THE PRESS:

LEGO has JUST unveiled cover art for a new skilled train set! This looks a lot like the TGV in France.

More info:
http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=74649

Price to Piece ratio is affordable, at under 10 cents a part. I think having this as part of Creator is brilliant as it is indeed one of those types of sets.

If you ask me, I find it one of the most beautiful sets ever produced. Very realistic, sleek, and modern. I will be getting this for Christmas!

CUUSOO - Curiosity Rover and Effectiveness of Ideas

I paid a visit to the CUUSOO website just a few days ago to see what was new and came upon an interesting observation.

Modular Western, as well as several other large projects have passed the 10,000 supporter mark that is required to be considered for a set. All these 'big sets' have hit the mark easily like a knife through butter but the problem was, LEGO didn't like them.

Yet I see that this other model, a Curiosity rehash, has passed it and I think that THIS will be it.

I may be offering a little trick as to how to get your idea approved with the content of this post... So why do I think that this is it, so early into the review stage?

Look at the other sets that got approved. Their price points/sizes fall in the mid-size, $30-50 range. They are not too small yet not too big. They may require a license here and there (and Minecraft got one easily) but otherwise they are fairly generic ideas.

Curiosity serves three liberties... it's medium sized, it's not a model that would require some ridiculous licensing, and most importantly... it's educational.

I think clients will scoff when they see a set that's priced over $100.00. It would be only accessible to the richer members or the zealots of the community. While items like SW UCS sets and the Modulars have sold with flying colors, the colors are not flying high enough to match smaller sets.

I think a product idea has to be truly accessible for it to work, which is why the reviewing committee has turned down many big projects. This is something I think will be successful because it allows play while not being overwhelming (which is the flaw of a town).

But then again, the size isn't the only factor.

I believe another requirement is the generic value of the model. Licenses are expensive and sometimes cannot work out, something I think killed the BTTF Delorean project. They are still possible, hence Minecraft, but I think a general and appealing theme/type is what the reviewers are looking for.

Hence, we have Curiosity which I can bet money will be #004. It isn't necessarily a license, as it could simply be called "space rover" or something to that effect, and it promotes a sense of research. Alas, the educational aspect. Plus, it just simply looks cool. Mechanical models can catch quite a number of eyes and the moving parts evident in the design seem to post a big plus. It is also current. As pretty much everybody would know, NASA expedited a mission to Mars with Curiosity and it landed last month. To "Relive" this experience would be a big plus for the consumer, and it teaches them history, science, and is good for the STEM side of the brain.

I will be looking forward to seeing this design go gold, and hope to have one and be able to review it for you all. Maybe this will also be an example "hint, hint" on how to make ideal and attractive models that will get CUUSOO reviewers unanimously saying "YES" to your design.

2013 January City Sets

This thread on EB has written information about the more-or-less confirmed January releases for the city line:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=74000

With all due respect, LEGO... Why fire and police...again? I understand SWAT is a new look at things but already the agents line looks SWAT enough. All that this Fire, then Police, then Fire strategy is going to lead to is so much redundancy that will lead to virtually no sales. Kids turning 11 years old today would already be exposed to two maybe three fire stations since they met the 5 year old age group, starting from the 2005 Fire Station to the 2007 then the 2010 or 11 (I don't even remember!).

The only plus about the police line is that there will be a different series of sets. Instead of having a full station there will be a Museum Heist... that reminds me of LEGO Studios in 2001 with the bank set. The chase is interesting but we've seen similar sets in the past.

Now the great vehicles are OK this year. I appreciate the updates to the Tow Truck (from 2009) and the Cement Truck (from 2007) but another fuel truck, and a shorter one at that isn't necessary. If I were LEGO I would invest more into a delivery truck/van, city bus, food truck or the like. In that sense, I agree with what Klaus-Dieter opined in page three.

I hope and duly hope that in the summer of this coming year that we see some variety. If LEGO took to doing buildings such as a supermarket, post office, or corporate office, then maybe there would be interest in those. I do expect to see new LEGO trains in 2013 maybe in the summer even though the cargo train came out in 2011.

It seems like the City line is not being taken to its full potential... Not such a great move, LEGO.

A Big Reveal - CSX C40-8

I had this one planned for a few weeks as to foster a LEGO built rock train.

Recently CSX Train K996-10 stalled on a hill in Central Florida, which definitely made it a more remarkable catch in my outing. Once I saw it, the shot turned out a classic. These Standard cabs have been gaining on me as a more unique model compared to the widecab version. CSX purchased these before the C40-8W was made. If you ask me, these engines work better than the -W.

Needless to say, I saw two of these in "Fresh" YN3 lead Q453 to Miami on March 19, 2011. This shot somehow proved to be iconic due to this fresh coat and the more unusual delinquent pair of these Standard Cabs.

Hence an idea was born. Recreate a South Florida Rock Train for the Tampa layout. It would look iconic and cool to see. To start - a CSX C40-8.

This 40 stud engine uses various borrowed, old, and new techniques to draft this engine. I could say I had an epiphany with the back section there; the radiators seemed to snap in beautifully with that particular build. There are channels inside for Power Functions wires to flow and the motor is just a placeholder, to be changed to a PF Motor when possible. The cab can accommodate the new LED lights. Cab is also removable but is a bit tougher due to a limited DkBlue palette. Now the flaws. It turned out a bit taller than desired but that is so the tank can function beautifully and realistically. Also I can't find a good way to jump the nose over without requiring dk tan 1x2 tiles of which I only have one that I was lucky to find in PAB on 11-11-11. Cab windscreen design was a bit limited but I made what I could.

A new truck design was crafted, kind of on the footsteps of 10219 (Maersk) but with the personal touch of yellow grills. In the front since it uses the wheels it works but out back it doesn't; there is a one stud overlap.

The dark tan was a nice experiment to see what it would do to the engine. Many cameras distort light; add ambient light to the function and you could have a really different hue. If taken just right, Dark Tan will look precisely like Dulux Gold, which is the color listed in YN3. I kept reflective stripes yellow since it is a bright tone. Otherwise it is a completely different approach.

With two existing engines and a shell of a third, I was quite limited in my parts palette. Luckily I had the aid of the Star Wars Droid Tri-Fighter to serve in some wedges and 4-stud tiles. I couldn't find many 1x1 and 1x4 plates which are fewer in number but was able to do with almost none of them. This model celebrates five years of an era I moved into in Summer of 07. With an online order of Dk Blue brick, plus ~6,000 parts of Pick-A-Brick in three sittings out of Orlando, I  entered what I call the "Modular" era which began to instill earth tones (dkblue, dktan, dkgreen, tan, dark red, et al) to my MOCs. I miss those days on PAB when we had all sorts of fancy shmancy variety (I have Dark Green 2x4s from there!) but at least we're reliving some of it with today's palette. 

Comments... suggestions... the like... All appreciated.

Winter Village Cottage - My $0.02

Photos have surfaced all over Eurobricks of the new Winter Village Cottage, 10229.
Key Deeplinks
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/grogall/10229/c_10229_detail_1.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/grogall/10229/d_10229_detail_2.jpg
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/grogall/10229/h_10229_detail_6.jpg

There are more featured on this thread: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=72048

I really like this set and may consider it for purchase. It is like a townhouse but set to winter.

It continues to deliver technique such as roof SNOT which has been mainly seen in this series.

Dark tan elements and dark blue ones number well. If I get this one I will have quite a number of DkBlue 1x1 tiles. Brick bricks in DkTan also number well, laid out in the facade and chimney.

Playability does not disappoint, though I know I won't be playing ;) ... It comes with all that a house has be it kitchen, living room, bedroom. The fireplace will be light-able as happens in most of these sets. There are even accessories like gold sinks, toy planes, and bread.

The look is classic and it promises a nice holiday treat for any family. I think this large one is up there as a favorite from this series, even though I don't have any of the sets... Yet, I've seen the Post Office, the Bakery, and the Toy Shop.

I Like Grab Bags

Grab bags are the loose part bags LEGO Brand Retail sells. In these are parts from old floor models, PAB wall selections, or sets damaged in transit.

I bought three of them on Thursday and they were well supplied with common and uncommon parts. They were a great way to stock up on supporting basic bricks for Element while getting the value on rarer elements. 24 dollars (I'll say 21.50 to split the 5 bucks VIP rewards that was used on the purchase of this and PAB) bought these three and the total parts count was 674.

Bag 1 was probably the best and most numbered bag. In there were 1 light brick, several orange bricks (like in all 15), a dark pink slope, dark tan 2x2, lots of the greens and rare elements in md blue (like cheese and arches). 270 pcs.

Bag 2 was a Friends laden bag with the pink 8x16 and the slopes. Had several parts of interest and few more in the grays, white, and black. Also a hidden brick brick in DkTan and 1 silver antenna. 225pcs

Bag 3 was varied in color. Azure, pink, trans light blue elements plus a friends torso. 179 pcs. When I had this taken parts like a bright green 8x16 were in the box already. Ugh.

Not too bad where as the cost per part was 3.2 cents after the discount.

I love grab bags because of the ability to have this sort of access. It takes luck and timing to get it right. No two grab bags are alike, and it serves as a little reminder to the days when 4679 had the 500 part bonus that fit this description. Those were more bizarre elements but at least this comes close to some extent. I had one with Maersk Blue elements, one with dark orange elements from the Sandcrawler, and one with some Market street parts.

As I always do, it is suggested to ask your store if they have grab bags available.