General Hidden Side Discussion

klinton

Ooooh! Ooooh! Lady E is the boss in the Portal set! Finally! And it looks like there's a multiplayer mode now. 

I can't freaking wait for these! 

panchox1

still no progress on getting the app to work. I've uninstalled it, reinstalled it and rebooted my device. still can't get past the initial load screen where you see the image of the high school. boo.

SumoLego

flord said:

These are basically Scooby Doo sets.

Shhhhh!

Anyway, this theme is definitely not for me.  But I hope it's continuing to be moderately successful.  My son loves the Bus and the 'transforming' aspects of the Shrimp Shack.

catwrangler

The lighthouse will go nicely with the shrimp boat. I like the Portal too; I always appreciate a spooky tree...

Odeinoichus

According to the Database there are still four sets unrevealed, most likely a summer wave, I seriously hope that those four will include named Ghost characters from the game in physical form. It seems to be one of the biggest wants for the Theme outside of just overall decent builds and even more variety.

klinton

Odeinoichus said:

According to the Database there are still four sets unrevealed, most likely a summer wave, I seriously hope that those four will include named Ghost characters from the game in physical form. It seems to be one of the biggest wants for the Theme outside of just overall decent builds and even more variety.

I actually don't mind that the ghosts are just virtual characters that you collect in the app. I'm not opposed to them including the ghosts in physical form, but the one's that I'd really want (the boss characters, and of course Sam) will never get made.

panchox1 said:

has anyone had trouble opening the app today? Mine is getting stuck in the load screen at the very beginning. Tempted to delete and reinstall it, but i'm afraid of losing all my progress.

There was an update this week. Maybe you just need the update? It's working fine.

klinton

Gah!! There's a little old lady ghost too! Not only that, the cat that Sam ate before he died was hers! Hahaha!

panchox1

No, I updated it already. But thanks for the reply. At least I know it's not a wide spread prob. I've reached out to lego support.

klinton

There's a new episode up! :D

https://youtu.be/9QH18qagrdo

panchox1

so it appears that the AR functionality on my phone needed an update. Not positive because after I updated it, the app still wouldn't work but then began working again this morning to my delight. Unfortunately, because I uninstalled it, I lost all my progress. not a super big deal because I really enjoy the game. biggest bummer is that since my sets are already registered, its not giving me the registration bonuses again. all in all a pretty minor thing. So happy to be playing again. yay!

Snizzlebutts

My kid loves the app and she’s not normally into using her iPod. It was actually part of the reason we started buying these sets, to use the app. I think it’s a good idea. A bit disappointed the kiosk set doesn’t work with the app.

klinton

Does anyone find it weird that Parker's family haven't shown up at all yet? Like, we have Jack and his mom, and even his dead dog... but no sighting of Parker's parents, whom she has "lived in Newbury all her life with".

I almost feel that Lady E is going to end up being a massive red herring, and Parker's folks will feature in some sort of plot twist for wave three. I dunno, I just find it odd that they're pointedly mentioned in the promotional materials, but never included in the sets. Like, Ms. Davids inclusion in the line serves no purpose other than to draw attention to the absence of the Jacksons, no? She doesn't seem important to the story, outside of being a footnote in Jack's bio (albeit a fantastic minifig in her own right).

Snizzlebutts said:

My kid loves the app and she’s not normally into using her iPod. It was actually part of the reason we started buying these sets, to use the app. I think it’s a good idea. A bit disappointed the kiosk set doesn’t work with the app.

I like the app primarily because I really like the IP. If it was a game with identical gameplay but featuring fairies or leprechauns in Unikitty sets... I would have absolutely no interest in it. I love the æsthetic of the sets, and find the characters engaging. The bios for the ghosts are often laugh out loud hilarious, or interesting in the broader scheme of what exactly all of this means, so finding new ones is always fun. Props to the writing team!

I can totally see why kids would like it though. It plays like a more engaging riff on Pokemon Go, where capturing the fiends is an engaging one on one standoff (rather than merely lobbing balls at electric rats). That no two ghosts have the same MO makes for a unique experience every time you play. Some of them are infuriating, but in a good way.

I really dislike the secondary mode though. I think it's due to my aversion to dual stick maneuvering (I freaking loathe FPS console games for this very reason). It's kind of a kick to run around with your latest catch and see what they can do, but as soon as they start getting attacked, I get really annoyed. Hahaha.

Lyichir

klinton said:

Does anyone find it weird that Parker's family haven't shown up at all yet? Like, we have Jack and his mom, and even his dead dog... but no sighting of Parker's parents, whom she has "lived in Newbury all her life with".

I almost feel that Lady E is going to end up being a massive red herring, and Parker's folks will feature in some sort of plot twist for wave three. I dunno, I just find it odd that they're pointedly mentioned in the promotional materials, but never included in the sets. Like, Ms. Davids inclusion in the line serves no purpose other than to draw attention to the absence of the Jacksons, no? She doesn't seem important to the story, outside of being a footnote in Jack's bio (albeit a fantastic minifig in her own right).

Parents can be largely tangential to the independent adventures of young teens, so it wouldn't surprise me to not see them until they potentially become relevant to the story later on. It was a while before any of the Ninja's parents showed up in Ninjago, after all, or for that matter until we'd seen all the characters' parents in Friends (in that case, several of them still haven't shown up in sets!). That said, I do think we are likely to see Parker's parents eventually if the theme goes on, if only because the drama potential of them getting gloomed might be too rich to pass up on.

klinton

Did anyone catch the football ghost? I played a few times this past week, and I never saw him. Today when I hopped on they're hyping this guy now, and he's literally everywhere. Like, he popped up at least once in every set. Is the football ghost event over? I don't know that I like this kind of pressure to play every day. :/

panchox1

I haven't seen the football guy. I haven't even seen him advertised. Before my app stopped working, I had a pumpkin head guy that hit super hard. I'm assuming that he was a Halloween seasonal one and I won't be seeing him again. Shame as he was one of my favs.

I do like the app. it's fun playing as ghosts, scanning individual mini figs but the interaction with the sets is a ton of fun.

klinton

panchox1 said:

I haven't seen the football guy. I haven't even seen him advertised. Before my app stopped working, I had a pumpkin head guy that hit super hard. I'm assuming that he was a Halloween seasonal one and I won't be seeing him again. Shame as he was one of my favs.

I do like the app. it's fun playing as ghosts, scanning individual mini figs but the interaction with the sets is a ton of fun.

Yeah, the football guy was advertised the day you were asking about your log in issues. I opened it when I saw your post, and saw the advert. I never actually saw him though, hahaha. I guess he might have been hiding in 'hard mode'? I haven't unlocked past medium in any one of the sets.

Yeah, the other features are fine enough, but I really only enjoy the interactions with the sets. I'm super curious how the multiplayer mode will work?

There's a new episode up! It accurately captures the hilarious grotesquerie of the bus set! :D

https://youtu.be/xBZB4WFKjds

Lyichir

klinton said:

panchox1 said:

I haven't seen the football guy. I haven't even seen him advertised. Before my app stopped working, I had a pumpkin head guy that hit super hard. I'm assuming that he was a Halloween seasonal one and I won't be seeing him again. Shame as he was one of my favs.

I do like the app. it's fun playing as ghosts, scanning individual mini figs but the interaction with the sets is a ton of fun.

Yeah, the football guy was advertised the day you were asking about your log in issues. I opened it when I saw your post, and saw the advert. I never actually saw him though, hahaha. I guess he might have been hiding in 'hard mode'? I haven't unlocked past medium in any one of the sets.

Yeah, the other features are fine enough, but I really only enjoy the interactions with the sets. I'm super curious how the multiplayer mode will work?

There's a new episode up! It accurately captures the hilarious grotesquerie of the bus set! :D

That was pretty great. Now I kind of want a future set to give J.B. an alternate hair piece with the goggles over her eyes.

The_Rancor

I love a good toilet ghost!

klinton

He's not gone, I guess. He's just super rare. I finally got him! :D

KungFuKenny

Not sure if it has been mentioned before but a couple of interesting HS polybags are coming out next year...

Bumblepants

Well we did need another hotdog cart to park in front on the lighthouse.

klinton

Bumblepants said:

Well we did need another hotdog cart to park in front on the lighthouse.

Relax, mate. The helicopter will surely be in the next wave.

Snizzlebutts

Wouldn’t they most likely fit with the Ghost Fair set?

SumoLego

klinton said:

Bumblepants said:

Well we did need another hotdog cart to park in front on the lighthouse.

Relax, mate. The helicopter will surely be in the next wave.

You'll be able to park it on the Hidden Side Police Station.

klinton

Snizzlebutts said:

Wouldn’t they most likely fit with the Ghost Fair set?

Good call! That set needs a little... something... more to liven it up. It's not an awful set, but it looks a bit sparse for a 'carnival'. These two polys and maybe the juice bar will def make it look a bit more substantial.

panchox1

klinton said:

He's not gone, I guess. He's just super rare. I finally got him! :D

Nice. I wasa able to catch him tonight after a couple of attempts.  Mamali still eludes me.

klinton

panchox1 said:

Nice. I wasa able to catch him tonight after a couple of attempts.  Mamali still eludes me.

I just caught her for the second time last day, actually! The graveyard and the truck are the only sets I've unlocked 'hard mode' for. I'd need to grind for eons to actually play hard mode though. I lose most of my charge just trying to catch the lightning fast de-glooming rings, hahaha.

panchox1

Got her! just this morning. I've only the graveyard and shrimp boat sets. so maybe it's time to reward myself for boss ghost catching with another set or two.....  :-D

klinton

panchox1 said:

Got her! just this morning. I've only the graveyard and shrimp boat sets. so maybe it's time to reward myself for boss ghost catching with another set or two.....  :-D

Nice! Her key doesn't seem to pop up as often as other bosses' artifacts, eh? She's a bit shy. :p

Get the truck! It's probably my favorite level, tbh. Because it's so compact, you interact with the background more than with most sets. Like, you occasionally have to replace the engine with a virtual one laying around. You physically remove the engine parts and replace it with a souped up virtual engine. Samuel is def my favorite boss character! And, you get the biker minifigs! They are full my favorite minifigs in the entire theme. :D

panchox1

Thanks for the suggestion. I will definitely do that soon. In the mean time, I picked up the ghost lab. Fun little set. I really like the AR environment for this one too. Only took about three games to catch the boss.

Decided to include a shot of my Gloombies

klinton

There's a new episode up! Spencer in a froggy suit! :D

Ahttps://youtu.be/FKR-cO0rkNI

klinton

There's a new episode up! :D

https://youtu.be/45FoRGwfiJs

panchox1

fun. I just got and built the truck set. :-D

klinton

panchox1 said:

fun. I just got and built the truck set. :-D

Nice! It's a great little set, eh? I love all of the figures in the set spacious interior of the cab (so much space!). The bike build is pretty clever, but I don't understand the inclusion of the 4x4 plate on the bottom? The entire build is much improved by just removing it. Those two bikers are my favorite minifigs in the line! :D 

panchox1

klinton said:

panchox1 said:

fun. I just got and built the truck set. :-D

Nice! It's a great little set, eh? I love all of the figures in the set spacious interior of the cab (so much space!). The bike build is pretty clever, but I don't understand the inclusion of the 4x4 plate on the bottom? The entire build is much improved by just removing it. Those two bikers are my favorite minifigs in the line! :D 

I really like the truck. I know the bike got a lot of criticism but I like it as well. I did put larger tires on the rear (same wheels) and felt that helped with the overall look quite a bit.

I really like the truck interior. it is quite roomy. I have El Fuego standing in the cab as to not wrinkle his cape and he fits perfectly! quite fun.

klinton

Did it really? I thought the bike was a clever little build, effectively using minimal parts to keep it actually in minifig scale. It's a far nicer build than the majority of the massively over sized rubbish we see in the Superheroes sets. 

panchox1

The trike with the bigger tires

klinton

Jeeeze. They're really all about making you play every.single.day this month. Three new holiday ghosts, only found in the holiday boxes. :/

panchox1

klinton said:

Jeeeze. They're really all about making you play every.single.day this month. Three new holiday ghosts, only found in the holiday boxes. :/

Nice to see that every game mode gives you a chance to earn the Holiday cheer energy (that's what i'm calling it anyway). They build up fast. Already have two of the ghosts.

klinton

I actually played the "Haunting" mode for the first time (actively trying to complete the goals). I realized that sinking resources into leveling up Sam is a full waste. He's useless. Adorable, but useless. hahaha. 

panchox1

oh, he's one of my favs. He has super great range and hits hard. but man, is he slow..... I also really dig Mamali. but I can't find a good Wild/yellow ghost that I like. Is the boss from the shrimp shack a wild ghost? May have to build that soon.

New sets come out on the 27th? Dang. my wallet is hurting so bad already.....

klinton

Yup the bosses from the Shrip Shack and the train are both wild. 

SilverLove

@klinton I enjoy and smile when reading about how you seem to have a...well...”love/hate” (strong words but cant find others to describe the duality) relationship to playing HS. You seem to enjoy it and all the different ghosts and the collecting while it also seems to wear you down in how much you need to play because you want to get them all or level them all up :)

I only got the Juice bar set but was disappointed that at the time i got the set, it wasnt playable in the app. Have not checked if its in the app now.

klinton

SilverLove said:

@klinton I enjoy and smile when reading about how you seem to have a...well...”love/hate” (strong words but cant find others to describe the duality) relationship to playing HS. You seem to enjoy it and all the different ghosts and the collecting while it also seems to wear you down in how much you need to play because you want to get them all or level them all up :)

I only got the Juice bar set but was disappointed that at the time i got the set, it wasnt playable in the app. Have not checked if its in the app now.

Unfortunately, there's no level for it in the app. That kinda sucks for people who just wanna try it out if they're not loving the other sets. It is a fun set in it's own right though, eh? It's a great little build.

I'm not really much of a gamer, tbh. I am really loving the whole Hidden Side 'mythos' though. I really like the æsthetic of the line, the designs of the characters, and the slightly dark humor of the ghosts. If I could collect all of the ghosts without playing the game, I'd probably opt for that, hahaha. I am glad to see Lego is all in with the app though! Don't get me wrong. The regular events and bonuses to keep kids engaged is a good thing for the line. I'm just a cranky old man with better things to do than play every set, every day.... but a burning need to catch all of the ghosts. Hahaha.

panchox1

I had the train come up in the ghost side tonight. That was fun. Still haven't seen the school bus

SilverLove

@klinton Yes, the juice bar is nice as it is. Thats exactly why i got it (decided to spend enough money on Lego at the time to get it), but i also wanted to try out HS without investing in it and possibly get stuck with a physical set for a theme i didnt like.

In addition to being ”limited” in space having to prioritise which sets to buy I also have this fear of owning to much stuff [yeah, i know im weird, not being a traditional minimalist either].

Seriously contemplated the shrimp shack though, my favourite - love how they made the 3D shrimp sign!

I agree on the aestethics of the line and the ghosts seem humerous, pretty and well thought out. I also like the design of the lead characters.

I know that the lead characters are supposed to be in every set, hence the same  recogniseable ”signature outfit”, but at the same time i feel sorry for those who buy every set, that there isnt a larger variety of outfits.

klinton

@SilverLove: I don't actually mind that the main characters have limited outfits. As a kid I was always annoyed when I got a new Batman or Spider-man figure who came with cool accessories but was in a bizarre outfit that looked nothing like their traditional costume. I guess none the the HS cast are 'superheroes', but the minor variations to their outfits are fine enough. They're instantly recognizeable, which is key in brand building. And they all look spectacular! Douglas/El Fuego is my favorite, with Spencer being a close second. I do like that the line also includes an elaborate assortment of fantastically designed civilian minifigs in every set. The HS stuff kind of mirrors everything I love about the Lego Movie sets: gorgeously designed builds, interesting main characters that I like, and a cast of collectible side characters. For every 'duplicate' main character you get, there is at least one other fun civilian.

Def pick up the Shrimp Shack if you can figure out the space! It was actually the first set that I got from the theme, and it absolutely exceeded my every expectation. The kitchen detailing is gorgeous, and the 'haunting' features are fun to fidget with. The included minifigs are all equally fantastic. There really is no downside to that one! It would look great next to your Juice Bar as a little lakeside fast food area! :D

PS: Your screen name and the fact that you're in Sweden makes me think of Roxette's 'Silver Blue' every time I see it. I used to adore that song when I was younger! The original version, not the guitar heavy remix on 'Tourism'. :D

SilverLove

klinton said:

I do like that the line also includes an elaborate assortment of fantastically designed civilian minifigs in every set. The HS stuff kind of mirrors everything I love about the Lego Movie sets: gorgeously designed builds, interesting main characters that I like, and a cast of collectible side characters. For every 'duplicate' main character you get, there is at least one other fun civilian. 

Could have been me writing this!

Oh no! If I do end up with Shrimp shack ill blame you! :-)

Im really bad a song titles, usually not recognising songs untill i hear them (sometimes even first after halt the song has been played). Should know it though since I grew up during Roxettes peak era. -> switching app to listen to Silver Blue :-)

M1J0E

This has to be the first time I’ve heard of Roxette in ages!  Now I’ll have to go pull out tourism again.  

klinton

Great success! I finally caught the third holday ghost tonight! Having all the sets crammed on the desk for daily play did lead to this fun pic of the school poking out of the fog in the diner level. I thought it was kinda fun. :D

M1J0E said:

This has to be the first time I’ve heard of Roxette in ages!  Now I’ll have to go pull out tourism again.  

Dude, I was so into Roxette back in the day! The 'Join the Joyride' tour was like a religious experience to tweenaged me, hahaha. There's still always at least a couple of their songs in my playlist.:)