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Mini-Modular Set

2

Comments

  • DaddyWhaleDaddyWhale Member Posts: 130
    Just curious: is there a mini fire engine for the fire brigade? Do doors open (and brigade engine door roll up)? Is there any internal structure.

    My guess is no, no and no. But it would be neat if that functionality existed...
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    No to all of the above.
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    I just saw this built in person at the Lego store today (yes, sad isn't it, I've been every day the past 4 days, sheesh!)

    Anyway, I was NOT impressed... Do you guys know how bloody SMALL this thing is? I rather looked at it and my first thought was "where is the rest of it!?!"

    I've seen comments about how you're paying $80 to get 1,356 parts... yea, but they are all 1x1 bricks or plates, or it seems that way. It is much nicer in pictures.

    Just my opinion of course, but ouch it was a disappointment. :(
  • LegoboyLegoboy Member Posts: 8,825
    Yeah, saw it in person at STEAM last October - built by Bluemoose (lucky sod)!

    Have to say, despite its size, I absolutely love this set. I have all of the mods, MS included, and is probably the main reason for buying and liking the minis so much. I think once other AFOLs come out of their dark ages and start to hunt down the mods as I did, this will be a highly sought after set.
  • datkiddedatkidde Member Posts: 108
    edited January 2012
    I stopped in this afternoon and they had them on the shelves (at the San Diego LEGO Store). I pondered purchasing one but after looking at the display model, I decided there were too many small pieces for the price. Looks nice built in person though.

    Edited and Merged by YC 1-4-12
  • BrickDancerBrickDancer Member Posts: 3,639
    @flump6523 might have it right. Just imagine if you wanted to buy a few for resell down the line. Desirable margins would need this mini-set to be about $150 price point or more to make it viable. So the target demo long term may well indeed be AFOLs flush with money that are hunting down the mods at $400+. Making this mini-mod one expensive totem to symbolize their admirable "completist" accomplishment.
  • sidersddsidersdd Member Posts: 2,432
    I think the target demo is the AFOL who has already purchased some modulars, and now TLG wants them to sign up for VIP to track their purchases and get them to buy more (if they are not already). It's not to sign up Joe Parent into the VIP program. This set, at $80.00, is not a must-have-therefore-I-need-to-signup set. I just don't see it appealing to that many people who don't already collect LEGO. If their intent was to appeal to the general public it would have probably been a $30-$50 set that Johnny really, really, really had to have.
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    @sidersdd I tend to agree, which is why it seems so odd to me. I mean, what percentage of people in that group you describe aren't already VIP members?
  • vanhanvanhan Member Posts: 31
    I personally love this set. Most people think that this set is underwhelming in size, but I find the amount of detail for such a small replica to be wonderful.
  • wRuBwRuB Member Posts: 86
    edited January 2012
    Hi, just wondering if anyone has seen the mini modulars in the lego stores? Thanks.
  • LegoboyLegoboy Member Posts: 8,825
    Yes, starting selling on the 1st.
  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    edited January 2012
    ^ in the UK, anyway.

    Edit: actually must be in the US too, I recall LFT saying he'd seen them (and he was not impressed ... :)
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    yep, West Coast US stores had it in stock at least a week before Jan 1 but didn't start selling it until that day of course.

    I bought the first 3 sold at my store on 1/1, right out of the stock room and into my arms. Not for me though - I don't care for the set at all.
  • BTHodgemanBTHodgeman Member Posts: 622
    I think I'll go buy one tomorrow :)

    Brent
  • wRuBwRuB Member Posts: 86
    Thanks! Have been wanting to get this cos i find micro building quite cool. But £60 is a bit steep, no?
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    LIT - yes, they have them in the US stores, and no I was not impressed... The price is the main problem, I actually *like* the set, but it is at least $20 too expensive. Yes, the part count is high, but they are all very small parts. This is one of those sets that should be 3 to 4 cents a part.

    At $49, they would be flying off the shelves.

    My 2.3 cents worth anyway... :)
  • DavidRod8DavidRod8 Member Posts: 143
    Glad to see I'm not the only one that doesn't care about this set... It reminds me a lot of the architecture ones... I just think they could have done so much better.... and I mean, they did on the modulars with the real ones... this just looks cheap! and it ain't!
  • EricEric Member Posts: 376
    I'm thinking the same discussion was had when 5526 Skyline was released. Whose going to buy that when you can buy a full size Statue of Liberty?, They all asked, and look what it sells for now.
  • dougtsdougts Member Posts: 4,110
    oh, not saying it wont' have value down the line, especially if it's a sales dud in release. Just saying I find no particular value for myself in owning it. Two different questions altogether.
  • LostInTranslationLostInTranslation Member Posts: 5,572
    edited January 2012
    My feeling is that with this set TLG is targeting fairly affluent people who maybe only go into a brand store a couple of times a year to buy gifts, but who secretly want to buy Lego for themselves. They see the minimods as something they can legitimately buy as an ornament or something to display on their coffeetable or mantelpiece rather than feeling like they're buying a toy. But of course they are then hooked into both the Lego marketing system by having a VIP card and hopefully into the Lego-buying habit, so they go on to buy other sets.

    @LegoFanTexas: I agree with you completely. Saw this at STEAM and I think its a nice set but as someone who's only got 2 modulars, my £60 is being saved towards Pet Shop :)
    Edit: I like how you've adjusted your cents' worth for inflation :)
  • martynmartyn Member Posts: 148
    I was surprised at such a mixed reaction to this set. Maybe $80 is too high, but for someone who is used to £1=$1 when it comes to LEGO £60 didn't sound too bad to me.

    I made a special trip to the closest Brand Store on 1st Jan to get this and had to build it straight away (In fact I had to ration myself to one building a day!). I haven't been disappointed, I think it tooks great.

    I really hope they do sell well, I'm now waiting for/wanting the mini-Pet Shop to add to this.
  • herekittykittyherekittykitty Member Posts: 122
    My feeling is that with this set TLG is targeting fairly affluent people who maybe only go into a brand store a couple of times a year to buy gifts, but who secretly want to buy Lego for themselves. They see the minimods as something they can legitimately buy as an ornament or something to display on their coffeetable or mantelpiece rather than feeling like they're buying a toy. But of course they are then hooked into both the Lego marketing system by having a VIP card and hopefully into the Lego-buying habit, so they go on to buy other sets.
    That would be me (though I don't know about fairly affluent) - it's a bit like the architecture series, that one can buy as adult without feeling silly for buying a kid's toy for yourself. Once you get a couple of sets like that, it's easy to get pulled into the deep end of wanting more, so I think you are on the right track there.

    I'm not speaking from experience here AT ALL, no no. Branderburger Tor had nothing to do with this post. Nothing at all.

  • princedravenprincedraven Member Posts: 3,764
    edited January 2012
    I suppose this set was alway going to divide people to some extent.
    There are a large range of different types of people here after all (collectors, MOC'ers, resellers, etc).
    I started off buying almost exclusively the larger sets, UCS falcon etc, but more recently when building the details in the modular range and through building small items like the mini ships in the SW advent and various little poly bags I have really come to appreciate the art of using tiny parts to represent something larger.

    I saw this for the first time at STEAM this year and thought little of it, but it has really grown on me.

    I think if TLG is smart they should sell a mini version of Pet shop (maybe £10) and then when they release Town Hall throw in a free mini version. Lets be honest if you are buying Town Hall you are likely to have a collector personality and if you haven't picked up previous mini mod's it is possibly going to temp you in...

    One element I really like is that you can add to your mini modular street pretty easily, it doesn't take more than a few hundred peices to knock up a few little houses etc, hell you can just pop in and fill a PAB cup and make a street.

    Final thought: I like that it has divided opinions, TLG are giving us a wider range of options: Friends, Licenced, Modular, Architechture, Hero Factory, Duplo, etc. This world isnt supposed to be filled with identical people with identical tastes. Play Well!
  • sidersddsidersdd Member Posts: 2,432
    Is it cool looking? Oh, yes. Will I be getting one? Oh, yes. I love the microbuilds. I'm working on some modules right now for a Micropolis display for our LUG. I won't be paying $80 for it though.

    And my main point was that some people were saying this set was being used to generate VIP memberships. If that's the case, then it's strange that they picked a very niche group of people. But maybe that group is bigger than we think.
  • airjordanairjordan Member Posts: 33
    I just finished building the mini-modular set... very cool! After seeing it in the store display I decided to pick one up. It looks spectacular after finishing; it's full of micro-details. Since I can only get the most recent modular sets, I opted for this complete (minus pet shop) mini-modular. Yes, the real modulars are of course BETTER, but this thing is pretty darn cool.

    Just my .02 for those waiting to buy.
  • jgadgetjgadget Member Posts: 192
    I don't have this yet, and didn't take a proper look at it at STEAM, but I knew from the outset that I would buy it at some point.
    I think it is remarkably good value, compared to pretty much every other set...
    £12 per module, with an average of 250+ pieces each? An absolute steal.
    When I first saw it on the web, I feared that it would be £100, or even more.
    The main reason I don't have it yet is it's lack of availability.
    I'm nowhere near a Brand store, and [email protected] is not selling it until Feb 1st.
  • StevenAshbyStevenAshby Member Posts: 155
    Saw this today in Liverpool and loved it :), i didnt realise they were 5 seperate buildings which you can move about etc, only reason i didnt buy it today was ive already spent my monthly lego budget. Not long till Feb though :),
  • Bosstone100Bosstone100 Member Posts: 1,431
    I received the mini-mod set from a friend. I built three of the buildings and it is pretty slick looking. I hope they add on to it when the Town Hall, etc. come out.
  • vwong19vwong19 Member Posts: 1,191
    I bought this set with the indoor Lego store 10% coupon. I figure its not going to be on sale for awhile and it will not be available elsewhere. I haven't decided when I will build it since I have too sets to work on. It does look pretty cool.
  • evilempire22evilempire22 Member Posts: 31
    I built mine over the weekend and I must say, it looks pretty awesome sitting here on my desk. Perfect size, lots of minute details...I strongly urge others to take a second look at this set. If you miss it, I think you'll regret not picking it up.
  • starfire2starfire2 Member Posts: 1,333
    I saw this today at the Lego store. Tiny! It looks bigger in the pictures!
  • pcironepcirone Member Posts: 346
    I picked one up for 20% off at a Lego store (with coupon) and was second guessing myself at $63.99... but what a great build it turned out to be, I just love it. I am now determined to make my own Pet Shop to go with the other buildings, I feel like I have a wealth of micro-building techniques under my belt.
  • JenniJenni Member Posts: 1,390
    ^ I so want it and enough 1x1 pieces to build the pet shop now, right now. I wonder if I could make it to Birmingham and back while my daughter's in school tomorrow......

    Probably not :(
  • Bosstone100Bosstone100 Member Posts: 1,431
    edited January 2012
    @Jenni - Hmmm... no Pet Shop? They have to have left that out for a reason... future add-ons? If so, you may want to hold out on building the others... unless you have the pieces lying around.
  • mr_bennmr_benn Member Posts: 941
    Surely it will only be a few days before we start seeing the first miniature Pet Shop MOCs being made!
  • sturner26sturner26 Member Posts: 19
    OT- Where do you all aquire these LEGO store coupons? I can't find them anywhere.

    I have a $30 gift cert. and think with a 10-20% off coupon it is totally worth it. Nothing else on my want list until summer (and then I'm going broke)
  • pcironepcirone Member Posts: 346
    ^ I got mine on eBay
  • JenniJenni Member Posts: 1,390
    @bosstone100 I wanted the mini-modulars already, it never occurred to me to attempt a pet shop myself. My sudden urgency was excitement at the idea. I don't think I'll do that well but the trying is going to be fun.

    I might be hampered by not having built the big one yet though.
  • DaddyWhaleDaddyWhale Member Posts: 130
    @Jenni - Hmmm... no Pet Shop? They have to have left that out for a reason... future add-ons? If so, you may want to hold out on building the others... unless you have the pieces lying around.
    Could it be because the Pet Shop is two separate 16-wide buildings? Perhaps it would not look as good in a micro scale? I don't have it in front of me. But aren't windows and some other external features significantly narrower in the Pet shop buildings than in, say, Green Grocer?
  • EricEric Member Posts: 376
    ^ Very good point.
  • JenniJenni Member Posts: 1,390
    Market Street is two 16 wide buildings, they've kind of cheated on that so I'm going to feel free to also :)
  • DaddyWhaleDaddyWhale Member Posts: 130
    Market Street is two 16 wide buildings, they've kind of cheated on that so I'm going to feel free to also :)
    You're right about Market Street! Do you mean by they've cheated that they've made the mini building 5 wide and the alley 3 wide?
  • asherkobinasherkobin Member Posts: 194
    I think they "cheated" on Market Street simply because the courtyard part is not very interesting. I bet 100% they will come out with the Pet Shop. My guess when the next modular (Town Hall) comes out, there will some kind of promotion to get the mini-Pet Shop at some discount.

    If you're a fan of this set, you must watch this video of the Lego designer showing it off. I think it's really cool how excited he gets about bringing the 1x1 transparent brick back in production :)

    http://youtu.be/ctconYz1Q3g
  • JenniJenni Member Posts: 1,390
    ^ Thanks, that was fun.

    I think they "cheated" because they could get away with it more easily on Market street, because the courtyard is fairly uninteresting, and because a five brick wide version was going to be significantly better than a four brick wide version.

    Can you imagine the arguments they had about that?
  • brickupdatebrickupdate Member Posts: 1,020
    My plan was to go to LEGO Store tonight and buy the mini-modular. But I was just looking at photos with it comparing the scale to a minifig, and I am really underwhelmed. Maybe I am spoiled by having all of the full sized modulars, but I can't see myself building this and displaying it. My motivation to own it is simply because it is an exclusive. Kind of bummed - I will have to find something else to use my 10% coupon on tonight!
  • Bosstone100Bosstone100 Member Posts: 1,431
    @brickupdate - I got mine as a present but I have to say I think it would be worth every penny. It's a different scale so I think comparing it to minifig size is a bad idea. It's really neat and has inspired me to start picking some extra pieces I can use if and when I get around to doing some microbuilding
  • BrickDancerBrickDancer Member Posts: 3,639
    I went to the LEGO store and seen it in person twice, then yesterday decided to go again and finally pick it up. Standing there with the box in hand and looking at the store display model, I just could not bring myself to buy it afterall. I just could not justify it for $80. On top of that, I only have FB and GE, so seeing CC, GG & MS everyday in mini-form would be like its taunting me =(
  • LegogeekLegogeek Member Posts: 714
    Part of my whole foray into LEGO was because of minifigs - not the CMF of today, but because of the minifigs that come with sets which I first began collecting over 20 years ago. There was something that made these cute, simple, innocent little people and the sets they came with, fun to buy. That is still a big motivating factor for me today.

    I am not into microscale buildings, and while I think these mini-modulars are neat, they hold no place in my grand scheme of things. I have all but one of the original modulars (that being Market Street), and my minifigs will enjoy their town as it continues to grow, however, the mini-modulars shall have to find someone else to make happy.
  • brickupdatebrickupdate Member Posts: 1,020
    Boy was the mini modular underwhelming in person. I couldn't find a reason to buy it other than to put the box on my shelf.

    If you are interested in 23 pictures from my trip to the LEGO Store (including tons of stock of the mini modulars), check them out here:

    http://brickupdate.com/new-2012-sets-arrive-at-the-lego-store/
  • LegoFanTexasLegoFanTexas Member Posts: 8,404
    @brickupdate - I did the same thing as you today, when I was in the store...

    Did pick up a few more sets, nothing major... Did swap out a few of this for a bit of that, spend a few hundred dollars, but otherwise just stood there and looked at this set and Joust.

    Joust I know I'll get from Amazon at some point on sale, so why pay full price here?

    The mini-mods? Meh... I have now looked at it in person three times, I can see my wife building it because she doesn't like the full size sets, at least not to build (she agrees they are impressive, but she likes sets in the 500 to 800 part range, 2,000+ bricks are more than she likes to do at once.

    So would I get it for her? Yes, on sale... $60 would be the right price for this...
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