Modular questions

Chubbles

So I'm a noob to the modular game, bought my first one today in the detectives office. Naturally now I must complete my block. Gonna grab the pet shop and maybe the cinema after that. I've seen pics of them together and they look great. I noticed there are some other smaller creator buildings like the toy shop, bike shop and cafe. Are those built to a different scale and not a match for the detective office builds? Was thinking about grabbing them but not sure if they'd be compatible or if they are a different sort? Thanks for the help.

Jenni

They are different. They're minifigure scale but are not as solid or detailed as the modulars. Whether you can have them in your street is up to you and what you like. I have seen a picture of the bike shop set fleshed out to look more like a modular.

T_Lars

Way different scale between them. I'd say the modulars are twice the size, and unfortunately there are a few other problems you'd run into. The Creator sets open in a clam shell fashion, like a doll house where the modulars are stacked on each floor. That would make it hard to connect them together. The creator sets are also built on regular plates where the modulars are built on baseplates, so they wouldn't level up with eachother.

Chubbles

So the creator sets sound more like if I want my son to build his own street similar to mine but that he'd be able to do on his own.

T_Lars

Bingo.

KiwiLegoMeister

Perhaps the real answer is this. You have built the Detective Agency (10246). See the little connector holes and pins on the sides - they all match for the modular series, so you can click them all together. The Bike Shop and other non-Modular sets don't have these.
@T_Lars is quite correct about how they open differently; You can of course adapt sets however you like. Detail differs, but as others point out from time to time - it's all very well having a lot of detail inside the buildings - but no one ever sees it! Once you line a few up, it's all about the outsides (which are very detailed, and generally great).

Finally be warned and give up now! Some of the older Modular sets are moving up in price! you better have deep pockets!
Best wishes!

CCC

An alternative is to forget what is past, and enjoy the future ones.

Chubbles

Yea I'm gonna grab what I can now and move forward, collection begins now

AdeelZubair

I own the Mini Modulars and Pet Shop, so I'm getting Town Hall, Palace Cinema, Parisian Restaurant before they are discontinued. I should be purchasing Detective's Office on Monday (I call them Modulars Wave 2.) As for the other mouldars I will get them all in my life time.

SirKevbags

^ Town Hall is already gone.

AdeelZubair

SirKevbags said:

^ Town Hall is already gone.

Huh, @SirKevbags the current pattern of them being discontinued was one each year and each one is available for 4 years:

Fire Brigade (2009) - Discontinued in 2013
Grand Emporium (2010) - Discontinued in 2014
Pet Shop (2011)
Town Hall (2012)
Palace Cinema (2013)
Parisian Restaurant (2014)
Detective Office (2015)

I don't understand why they would discontinue the Town Hall before the Pet Shop...

Legoboy

Adzbadboy said:

SirKevbags said:

^ Town Hall is already gone.

I don't understand why they would discontinue the Town Hall before the Pet Shop...

We'd be a damned sight richer if we did! :-)

SirKevbags

The longer and deeper you're involved it's best not to try and "understand" TLG decisions. Just accept the fact they do whatever they want because they can or prepare yourself for a whisky habbit / alternative more useful therapy ;-)

Bumblepants

@chubbles I had a lot of fun bricklinking the older modulars I missed out on, the Cafe Corner and the Green Grocer. I recolored or even redesigned some parts of them to save money since some of the out of print doors/windows/colors are outlandishly priced. I would also say Fire Brigade is a brilliant set and if you can find a price you can stomach paying I would recommend it.

Chubbles

Of the sets I am most likely to miss out on the Fire Brigade is the one I'd be sorry to miss because when a police modular comes out the OCD collector in me is going to want both the fire house and police station. First thing I want to do is secure the Pet Shop today and then within the next couple of months the Cinema (still undecided on the Parisian). Fire Brigade I'll keep on my watch list and hopefully one falls into my lap at a reasonable price like you said.

Shib

SirKevbags said:

The longer and deeper you're involved it's best not to try and "understand" TLG decisions. Just accept the fact they do whatever they want because they can or prepare yourself for a whisky habbit / alternative more useful therapy ;-)

I often find myself thinking about this whenever I see people's comments that imply hey know what TLG are planning from past sets. There is often no rhyme or reason, which irritates a lot of people, but if you can just enjoy the ride it's quite enjoyable.

KiwiLegoMeister

The bottom line is that Lego will simply do whatever makes them money. Plenty or preferably most.

Paperballpark

There's a pattern to everything, until it is broken. TLG decided to break the Modular 'pattern'. As a result, nothing can be considered safe.

Besides, look at Sydney Opera House. Last year (I mean 2013...), people would have put good money on them finally discontinuing Tower Bridge and having SOH available for 3 to 5 years. Instead, just a year later, SOH is reduced, probably soon to go EOL, and TB is still with us...

Sethro3

It all depends on how well each set sells AND how much is already in production/planned production. If it didn't sell stellar and they are running out of their initial production run, then they likely wouldn't do a new production run just to be nice to a handful of people who didn't get it. Whereas, if another set is selling really well, they will continue to keep it out as a money maker for as long as they can. Look at the Death Star...2008 and still counting...

Pitfall69

Legoboy said:

Adzbadboy said:

SirKevbags said:

^ Town Hall is already gone.

I don't understand why they would discontinue the Town Hall before the Pet Shop...

We'd be a damned sight richer if we did! :-)

This isn't a slight, but how did you NOT know Town Hall was EOL/Retired? You are pretty involved in the forum.

madforLEGO

Paperballpark said:

There's a pattern to everything, until it is broken. TLG decided to break the Modular 'pattern'. As a result, nothing can be considered safe.

Besides, look at Sydney Opera House. Last year (I mean 2013...), people would have put good money on them finally discontinuing Tower Bridge and having SOH available for 3 to 5 years. Instead, just a year later, SOH is reduced, probably soon to go EOL, and TB is still with us...

But was TH a Modular in the sense of the CC GG FB, etc? It was substantially more expensive than the others, and as others have noted in the past, it is taller than the other as well. So while a mod I'm not entirely surprised it went when it did, especially since it seemed to follow the '2- 2.5 year plan' as other non- mod sets have sets have.

I guess the other thing to note, once again, is to not assume when a set goes EOL.
If you want it, buy it when it comes out, or the first available double points, or other deal if in the US.

Legoboy

Pitfall69 said:

Legoboy said:

Adzbadboy said:

SirKevbags said:

^ Town Hall is already gone.

I don't understand why they would discontinue the Town Hall before the Pet Shop...

We'd be a damned sight richer if we did! :-)

This isn't a slight, but how did you NOT know Town Hall was EOL/Retired? You are pretty involved in the forum.

Apologies. Just for you Chris, we'd be a damed sight richer if we did know that Town Hall was to be discontinued before Pet Shop. I worry about you sometimes.

Seriously though, there have been a few comments made over the past couple of days that have made me stop and question what year I'm in. I should never have gotten into that hot tub on New Years Eve.

Pitfall69

^My comment wasn't for you @Legoboy‌. I was questioning how @Adzbadboy‌ didn't know TH was gone?

I know better NOT to get into a hot tub aside from the movie reference, but especially with you ;)