is released on 1 September. But with no inventory yet available, I've been frustrated. Here's what I've resorted to in the meantime!
I made that wonky, blurry image (which you can click to view even larger/wonkier/blurrier) by skewing the top of the box in Photoshop, as seen in this hi-res LEGO® promotional image of 10234 Sydney Opera House.
Although the greatest offerings of this set will presumably be in the Dark Tan [BL] / Sand Yellow [TLG] department, I was more keen to know if any parts would be appearing for the first time in Trans-Black (as it's known on BrickLink, but I prefer TLG's more accurate name Tr. Brown). Sadly, I reckon the answer is no. This is what I think I am seeing in the Tr. Brown section...
In terms of my guesses I'm least certain about the cheese - it may be a 1X1 tile or plate - but either way, nothing's new. I was really hoping we'd finally get the 1X1 brick, but no. A potentially worrying aspect to the set for me is that it looks like Black slopes have been used to complete parts of the windows within the building's 'sails' - presumably where those slopes do not yet exist in Tr. Brown? So I guess that's a cost-cutting measure... that would be hard for to me to swallow in a set that costs US$319.99 (UK£ 249.99, DE €279.99, CA$379.99, DKK 2499, AU$ 399.99).
Gosh, I'm being a old grump aren't I, maybe posting at 4am when I can't sleep isn't the best idea. Especially given that the SOH looks like it could be the most challenging build ever from an official set, and I can't wait!
Maybe the new element news is better where Dark Tan is concerned... [edit after some sleep:] I'm indebted to a reader for reminding me that Jamie Berard shows us the Dark Tan elements in his Designer's video! Gah! No more blurry wonky image squinting for me. Here's a screengrab.
 |
| ©2013 The LEGO Group |
I have to say, the first thing I examined was the trans-clear baseplate he's using as a display base! Oooooh. It's 26X48... weird... I guess it's a 48X48 that's been sawn; the top corners look square and the top edge uneven. Imagine having enough trans-clear baseplates to hack 'em to bits. *sigh*
Now back to the reality of what I AM able to get my hands on, come September. Of the above elements, three are new!
Brick W. Bow 1X4 | Design ID 61678
Plate 6X14 | Design ID 3456
Flat Tile 1X3 | Design ID 63864
1X1 Dark Tan cheese is awesome and very new, but this will not be its first appearance - it comes in Galaxy Squad 70708 Hive Crawler
and, slightly unexpectedly, in 850776 LEGO® Legends of Chima" Playmat
. Also highlighted in Jamie's video is the Blue [BL] / Bright Blue [TLG] 48x48 baseplate, which out of the new elements in this set has undoubtedly been the most discussed on forums.So some great news bits on their way, and the bigger excitement yet will be to find out the quantities that all these Dark Tan and Tr. Brown elements come in! Bring on that inventory please TLG... as I don't think my blurry wonky image will cut the dark tan mustard.
You don't need to guess where the Dark Tan elements are concerned - TLG show you what there is in their developer video. :)
ReplyDeleteOops! Thanks Anon... I guess I was a little too focused on the Trans-Brown! Will update post.
DeleteI too wish the 1 x 1 brick came in trans-brown, I have a use for at least 20 of the things.
ReplyDeleteThere's a '70s skyscraper near my home I always wanted to build, but it requires 750 of them. So I don't just need them to appear, I need them to appear in LUGBULK ;O)
ReplyDeleteHay, Tim! goldninja101 here. I was wondering if there was any baby bows in this set--specifically in trans-brown? They would look awesome as headlights if you put them on the upper four studs of the 1X4X1 2/3 W. V. Knobs piece. I'm thinking Lego might use this technique for future City sets. I'd sure love to get my hands on that piece. (If it exists in that color) Thanks man! -goldninja101
ReplyDeleteI'm driving myself nuts trying to figure out that 48x48 trans clear baseplate... I can't find any indications of its existence in any of the parts databases I know of. Did any of these ever escape into the world at large?
ReplyDeleteOr maybe... (horrors!)... they're from some competing brand?
I have no idea, but I would guess that they're just one of those things you have access to as a LEGO Designer that we mere mortals can only dream of. They serve a clear functional use, but I can't imagine a purpose for them in sets (although 2007's Mosaic line did have 16x16s).
DeleteNo doubt many have escaped from Billund over the years, and there are a few for sale on BrickLink; naturally the prices will test your desire.
http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=4186&colorID=12
I've seen clones for sale at sellers' stall at events. Not made by competing brands, so presumably by AFOLs. The ones I'm thinking of were going for £10; they had poorer clutch and were bendier - I remember someone buying some for the latter feature, with the intention of using them as curved rooves.
Sorry, just noticed my terrible 'clear' pun... not intended!
DeleteSilly me: I had it set to screen for sellers in the US only. Yes, the Mosaic sets were the place to look, and where I started poking in the first place. But 16x16 ain't exactly 48x48. And LEGO Mosaics seemed at the time of release vastly inferior to PixelBlocks (an opinion I still hold), so I never picked any up when they were generally available (though I did obtain a few boxes of the latter). And then they were gone. It was a strange era for TLG. They seemed to be flailing about with an identity crisis, or perhaps trying a Borg-like Microsoft strategy for crushing all potential competition... Znap had also recently come & gone, looking an awful lot like a K'nex clone; meanwhile Rokenbok was also looking good, and had *monorails*. But I digress. My bad.
Delete