The Next Modular: Town Hall (10224)

legirl

I asked in the lego store in Milton Keynes last night and they said May but they sounded quite vague.

starfire2

The Lego store near me (Phoenix, AZ) said probably March but have not received a press release yet.

llanowarsoldier

It is looking more like a March release as it is the 26th and next Wednesday is the 1st. Also, seeing how TLG makes their 'major' announcements on Mondays(for the most part) I just don't see a 2 day turn around. What bothers me though is Lego has got to know about the leaked images and you think they would have addressed it by now. Of course they could just end up releasing it without press, but highly doubtful. I just wish we knew how much this set is going to cost.

llanowarsoldier

I asked in the lego store in Milton Keynes last night and they said May but they sounded quite vague.

Most store employee's outside of the managers aren't told anything.

The Lego store near me (Phoenix, AZ) said probably March but have not received a press release yet.

They'll receive their press release after Lego makes their announcement.

The_Brick_Builder

I have too buy 2 copies of this, "mend" them together, and I'll have one huge Town Hall! :)

streeker

The Limo from set 3222 is going to be a perfect compliment to the Town Hall wedding couple.

Thanks for the idea of adding a vehicle for the newlyweds. Myself, I think I'm going to opt for the spiffy 1930's car from IJ Shanghai Chase.

BrickDancer

@streeker I really like the Shanghai Chase cars too (except for the wheels). Doing a MOC version of the convertible one in White would be very fitting for the Modular's time period and more accurate than the modern limo.

llanowarsoldier

So we have all heard 2 different dates for the next modular to be out: Feb 1st or March 1st. So how many of you are going to be calling or going to the lego store tomorrow to see if it is on the shelves? I do realize that Lego hasn't said anything on the item yet and looks more like a March release, but they could also be letting this one come out without any press. So if it does come out tomorrow post your find on here.

dougts

I've said all along that the Feb 1 date didn't seem legit, and it's looking more and more like March 1.

starfire2

I heard from a Lego store manager say end of March. That all the other modulars were released around April/May

llanowarsoldier

Beginning of March is more reasonable at this point. It just irks me that all of us who want to get it want to save up for it and we have no info on this set. I'm sure Lego has got to know about the pics and the premature selling of the set over in Romania, so why not just put out a press release already? It's no longer going to be a surprise so I say they should just bite the bullet and tell us already. I am sure though that people will still go to the stores tomorrow to make sure though.

brickupdate

I have to say, from my experience (and what I have heard here on the forum over time), LEGO managers and employees mean well, but often don't have all the info. They are making educated guesses many times.

starfire2

I don't care when it comes out, I'm probably going to wait awhile. My credit cards need a rest.

yys4u

Anyone heard anything about an official price? Or are we still speculating?

burnside

What do you guys think about integrating working clock hands into the clock? It looks like you just need to drill through the black round circular piece on the clock face and go from there. Is that overkill?

BrickDancer

@burnside that's a really good idea. You should give it a go using internals from a small wrist watch maybe?

It would be extra nice if you could make it do something special when it hits a certain time. Like at 10:04pm on Nov. 12, 1955?

veritas313

Sorry for the ignorance, but what does that time and date relate to? Just wondering?

LegoFanTexas

@veritas313 - Back to the Future, it is the time in the first movie when lightning struck the clock tower, allowing them to harness the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity needed to power the flux capacitor which is what makes time travel possible... (since they were fresh out of plutonium in 1955)

*boy, it sounds all official when typed like that, doesn't it?*

:)

The idea is that Town Hall looks a lot like the courthouse used in the three Back to the Future movies...

Redbullgivesuwind

I am getting one just to turn it into the Arkham City court house with twoface will look awesome.

Maybe if the delorean wins the custoo thing it will be added to the town hall :-D

LegoFanTexas

Oh, how cool would a UCS style Delorean from Back to the Future be?

Ohh, someone has probably done one as a MOC... :)

Coolsplash

Not a UCS style Delorean but was impressed with the MOC video of the Delorean currently looking for supporters on LEGO Cuusoo.

@Redbull, you are evil to put the idea of the courthouse scene with Twoface (from Arkham City), now I would want to buy the Town Hall modular :D

llanowarsoldier

Well, I went into the Lego store by me today and it isn't out. No biggie I can easily wait until March. What is funny is the store manager also doesn't understand why Lego hasn't put out any info since the leaked pics. On the bright side though I did pick up 2 Mini Hogwart's Express :)

BrickDancer

@LFT you sure do have a wealth of pop culture knowledge. I've been considering the idea making the street in BTTF ever since seeing the Townhall. Then a minifig size MOC Delorean and using the small and large fire pieces to make the trails. A nice touch would be to modify the date on the TH to be 1955. I recall an old movie theater in the scene too, similar to Townplan one perhaps?

Coolsplash

Or maybe recreate the scene with J.Fox on the hover board trying to run from the baddies....

asherkobin

This makes me think...If a random toy shop in Romania was shipped a bunch of these sets from LEGO with the embargo date, don't you think it's very possible that LEGO stores (or others that would sell the modulars) would have these sitting in their back stock room waiting for the date to arrive??

prof1515

Odd thing is that the Town Hall doesn't look anything like the building in BTTF. Methinks people need to watch the DVD again.

Redbullgivesuwind

Nope it doesnt that is why its becoming part of an Arkham City Moc :-D.

Coolsplash

@Redbull, you said it mate. I can't wait :D

HuskerDont

This makes me think...If a random toy shop in Romania was shipped a bunch of these sets from LEGO with the embargo date, don't you think it's very possible that LEGO stores (or others that would sell the modulars) would have these sitting in their back stock room waiting for the date to arrive??

Anyone else think this leak was intentional? Sort of the way movie studios would create a fake Youtube account (can't remember which movie) or rent a few billboards (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) loosely related to an upcoming release to get people talking. It could also be used to test quality control to see what can be improved before the full rollout. Didn't the guy who bought the leaked set say there were missing pieces and issues with the instructions? Better to realize there is an issue with very few produced, than have to rectify thousands of errors on already purchased sets. I think because of the issues that were noted, the release might have been pushed back a bit to ensure any faults with production and design are fixed.

llanowarsoldier

This makes me think...If a random toy shop in Romania was shipped a bunch of these sets from LEGO with the embargo date, don't you think it's very possible that LEGO stores (or others that would sell the modulars) would have these sitting in their back stock room waiting for the date to arrive??

Anyone else think this leak was intentional? Sort of the way movie studios would create a fake Youtube account (can't remember which movie) or rent a few billboards (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) loosely related to an upcoming release to get people talking. It could also be used to test quality control to see what can be improved before the full rollout. Didn't the guy who bought the leaked set say there were missing pieces and issues with the instructions? Better to realize there is an issue with very few produced, than have to rectify thousands of errors on already purchased sets. I think because of the issues that were noted, the release might have been pushed back a bit to ensure any faults with production and design are fixed.

I agree with both of these statements as the Manager at my Lego store said she was surprised they hadn't sent them any to hold until release date. Also, the leak had to be intentional as you would think Lego would have make some sort of statement when the images came out. Also, no communication was sent out to pull the pics of of the websites they appeared on.

Legogeek

Hmmmm...... I wonder what happened to the poster of that build.... he hasn't been seen since..... LEGO hit team in action?

littletoki

Speaking of Back to the Future MOCs - this is very nicely done.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/orion_pax/6782658151/in/photostream

Legoboy

I mentioned the set and the fact that it was rumoured to have a Feb/March release date to my contact. I'll be honest in saying that I had less faith in their response regarding this than they were about TFD (they were adament about that), but they said they had zero knowledge about its release in the the new future and has continually checked for updates without success. The only reason I wasn't as comfortable with their response was because they then went on to say that they believed it was being released later in the year - like May.

BrickDancer

@prof I took another look on your suggestion and it surely isn't an exact copy. But the color is nearly identical and the front entrance with columns just needs to be extended all the way up. It also needs removal of the bell tower and expanded width-wise (not feasible for the set due to baseplate limitation). So I can say TLG may have been inspired by BTTF and paying homage at best, but your point was well taken.

@toki nice find! This is my fave scene in BTTF2 and what @coolsplash mentioned. I noticed he used the same color orange for the Clock Tower Building as will be used in Townhall.

doriansdad

@toki thanks for those pics mate....they look awesome. I love Griff and his telescopic bat....too cool :)

canuhandle23

Well i got back from the meeting. Town hall comes out march the first...and will retail at 199 us dollars

LegoFanTexas

Thanks for the update...

I'm not surprised by the $199 price point, with the part count, it was surely going to be higher than $149. Several people suggested $179, but it makes more sense to make the jump to $199 because that allows Lego to make the next 3 or 4 modular sets all that price point, with 100 fewer parts each year, just like they did with GG (2,300), FB (2,200), GE (2,100), then PS (2,000).

So perhaps TH will be $199 for 2,700 parts, the next year 2,600 parts, the year after that, 2,500 parts, and so on, before the next price jump to $249.

Just a thought...

canuhandle23

I wasnt surprised myself. I was just told about dealing with customers who are going to be shocked that all the other modulars are 150 (why is this one 200). You are right that the price jump is for that reason but the next years set will be in the same ballpark of pieces. its the one after that which will be fewer pieces but a more popular theme( not sure what that means),

Also want people to push the mini modulars since they arent selling as well as they thought.

Silber334

Thanks for the update...

I'm not surprised by the $199 price point, with the part count, it was surely going to be higher than $149. Several people suggested $179, but it makes more sense to make the jump to $199 because that allows Lego to make the next 3 or 4 modular sets all that price point, with 100 fewer parts each year, just like they did with GG (2,300), FB (2,200), GE (2,100), then PS (2,000).

So perhaps TH will be $199 for 2,700 parts, the next year 2,600 parts, the year after that, 2,500 parts, and so on, before the next price jump to $249.

Just a thought...

Clever Lego marketing ploy :-) That's a good way to cut back on internal costs ( ie; gradually slashing material costs ) while retaining the same profit margin. I didn't notice that until you brought it up. Nor would I mind Lego doing that so long they come out with great builds to unleash our building apetite!

I may ask someone in the US to place an order for that, since $199 is quite a bargain for what we pay.

LegoFanTexas

^ Long been done everywhere else...

Watch Ketchup bottles... Every year they get an ounce or so smaller, then every 5 years or so, they have "new improved bigger bottles" at a new price... They just repeat every few years.

What consumer product companies learned long ago is that you need to keep the prices the same, people watch those like a hawk, the actual amount of product, less so.

Example:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/business/29shrink.html

canuhandle23

You are so correct and if people ask us why. Im suppose to tell our employees to tell them there is an extra level and wayyyyyyyyyyyyy more pieces. Plus the minifigures are neat! Im more interested to see if these fly off the shelf with a 200 dollar price tag.

LegoFanTexas

It is 7.2 cents a part at the new higher price, it doesn't bother me in the least, actually lower ever so slightly per part than Pet Shop, so you can honestly say that on a price per part, it is CHEAPER than PS. ;)

But not by much, still, the price is fair compared to many Lego sets these days... Star Wars, I'm looking at you!

LegobrandonCP

That means it would be $250 in Canada. That price is outrageous.

canuhandle23

Im still anxious to see how this set does at 200. Dont get me wrong its nice and cant wait to the 20th to play around with it etc. Im just wondering whats the price point where it doesnt sell as well as other modulars and I wonder will I see as many adults buying 5 or 6 of these at once ( as I see with certain other sets.

yys4u

yea I'm definitely not buying it right away at 200. I haven't even built the pet shop. I'll probably let it sit on the shelves for a while until there's a double vip point sale at the very least, or a TRU BOGO.

LegoFanTexas

I haven't built Pet Shop either yet, so no rush on Town Hall...

That being said, will I buy it when it first comes out? Yep! :) Or maybe I'll wait until Lego does a double VIP point day...

LegoFanTexas

Im still anxious to see how this set does at 200. Dont get me wrong its nice and cant wait to the 20th to play around with it etc. Im just wondering whats the price point where it doesnt sell as well as other modulars and I wonder will I see as many adults buying 5 or 6 of these at once ( as I see with certain other sets.

I would think most adults buying 5 copies of a given modular (raises hand) are buying for resale...

As for the $200 price, why not? If Pet Shop is moving at 7.3 cents a part, why wouldn't Town Hall move at 7.2 cents a part?

Yellowcastle

What consumer product companies learned long ago is that you need to keep the prices the same, people watch those like a hawk, the actual amount of product, less so.

Don't get me started on this. I still haven't forgiven them for those 6 Oz. yogurts.

dougts

Thanks for the confirmation on date and price. No surprises there. Interesting to hear about the mini modulars not selling well, which is again no surprise to me at all, as we have discussed at length previously

So maybe that future modular from a "popular" theme is going to be a police station huh ?

Legoboy

@canuhandle23 - thanks for the info. Talking about modulars with high piece counts, was there any mention of the Haunted House mod and its expected release date?