Master Builder Academy (MBA)

tamamahm

Any idea of the price for 10-12?
I wonder if I have that 10% at home. I do not recall a magazine this go around, but that doesn't mean I don't have one. :-/

Dare_Wreck

^Yep, my credit card certainly knows the price of 10-12. It's $79.99.

TheLoneTensor

Some musings...

The box art looks great, and much more compelling.

I don't see "MBA set numbers" like 2-3, 4-6, etc. on the boxes. Are they trying to avoid the appearance of this being a progressive learning experience and instead, just grab whatever sets you like?

Also, I wonder if it's just a repackaging, or if any of the sets contain different pieces.

Dare_Wreck

I noticed that too, that the individual kit numbers didn't appear to be listed on the boxes (though, honestly, I didn't look closely at any of them aside from the new Level 4 box). I suppose it makes sense to do it this way, since it might otherwise cause confusion to the casual shopper that isn't familiar with this theme.

While I can't speak to the other sets, I opened up the Level 4 box and found that the three kits were packaged in the typical numbered bags that you get in any larger-sized Lego box (specifically, 1, 2 and 3, and not the kit numbers 10, 11, and 12). The original boxed versions of Kit 1 and Kit 2/3 used the large printed polybags that I believe were part of the subscription deal. While I can't say if these kits' new boxes still do, I'd bet that they probably don't.

And as an aside, I know people have commented earlier in this thread about the cost being incredibly high for what you get - I certainly do agree that they're a bit overpriced and wish there were more parts with each kit. However, I do feel that there is incredible value in the books that you get with each kit, since they give you great building tips and ideas of where else you can take your creativity. Whether or not you can benefit from said tips, though, is a different story - if you're already a skilled AFOL builder, you probably won't get much out of these sets.

TheLoneTensor

Dare_Wreck said:

While I can't speak to the other sets, I opened up the Level 4 box and found that the three kits were packaged in the typical numbered bags that you get in any larger-sized Lego box (specifically, 1, 2 and 3, and not the kit numbers 10, 11, and 12). The original boxed versions of Kit 1 and Kit 2/3 used the large printed polybags that I believe were part of the subscription deal. While I can't say if these kits' new boxes still do, I'd bet that they probably don't.

Hmm, this is really unfortunate, because the other sets with the large, graphic polybags for each kit were great and really differentiated the sets. This also puts a real damper on people who want to dole out the kits in their own subscription model for their kids. It won't be quite as exciting now getting a mundane perforated bag with a big black and white number on it.

Btw, thanks for the pics @Dare_Wreck, I appreciate you doing that.

Dare_Wreck

Here's some more interesting tidbits about the Level 4 set:

--Each kit has its own minifigure, unlike the other levels, where you got the minifig in the first kit, and then simply accessories for it in the other kits of that level. I've included a photo of the side of the box that shows what they look like (the head, torso, and legs are all the same, and just the accessories vary).

--As tensor noted, the outside of the box doesn't appear to make any mention to the kit numbers. However, the 3 thick books in the box are each labeled with the appropriate kit number. That suggests that they may have already been designed and/or printed before Lego decided to change how the MBA program would work.

--I noted how there are three bags labeled 1 through 3. Turns out, there was a smaller unnumbered bag in there, too. I haven't opened any of them yet, so I don't know which kit(s) the small one goes with. Also floating free in the box was a rubber belt, noted as "Hero Factory Weapon - Ammo Belt, Flexible" on BrickLink (part #98567), which is part of Kit 10's part list.

ColoradoBricks

Thanks for the info.. glad each kit has now its minifig but too bad they dropped the large poly...

murphquake

@Dare_Wreck, first, thanks for letting me know this set i've been waiting months for has finally come out. I was able to get a copy at the Queens Lego Store tonight! They still have the original Level 1-Kit 1, L1-Kits 2&3, and L2 Kits 4-6 sets in the green and yellow boxes, but they put out the L1-kit 1 white box earlier in the week, and they had Level 3 out in the new white box, which also contains 3 of the minifigure. I'm sure the MBA fans on here have noticed me saying I really would like to get a few more so I have a figure for each set of accessories so this makes me really happy... In fact I opened all the bags and built the figures and their gear after making the time machine for set 10!

I do miss the printed polybags and noticed the lack of Level or Kit # on the packaging, although it remains on the minifig torso print, and prominently in the manuals (which were probably produced before the decision to change the packaging and ditch the subscription). I do think there may be some confusion with labeling the bags 1/2/3 as nothing in the manuals says which bag to open, (not that opening them all is a bad thing!), but I also had to open the loose packed un-numbered bag and use the ammo belt piece to build the time machine for kit 10, which left me with no unused parts aside the usual suspects for spare parts.

CCC

It is a shame that the minifigure is the same one in each, just different headgear. They might as well have had one minifigure in the first and given extra pieces in the later sets but no minifig at the same level (like earlier levels). Unless of course, they are expecting people to want these as complete one offs rather than as part of a series. But then they are sold together ...

Dare_Wreck

^I suspect that most of the target audience of the MBA sets (slightly older KFOL) will in fact build the kits separately, and so having a minifig to sit in each at the same time (outside of the architecture kit, which seems kind of silly to have its own minifig) would be desirable.

murphquake

@CCC I think not getting the fig to go with the other accessories was a common gripe with the earlier packaging, and im sure especially with the boxed Kit 2/3 set, which had no minifigs at all, but showed their outfits on the top of the box. When the store by me puts out the white box version of kits 2/3 & 4/5/6 i'll check if they now come with the extra minifigs.

Robb

Anyone know whether MBA Level 4 (steampunk) will be coming to [email protected]? I saw it in a LEGO store when I was out of town last week, but I didn't buy it since I didn't have room for it in my luggage. I figured I'd just buy it online when I got home, but I don't see it on [email protected]

Anyone know the release date for MBA Level 4 on [email protected]?

Plell

I think July 1 is the "official" release date, so even though it's already available in stores, it won't be on [email protected] until then.

Plell

Of course, right after I say that, I wander over to [email protected] and there they are...
http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Master-Builder-Academy-Invention-Designer-20215

ColoradoBricks

^ Perfect for an order on 7/1 with #40078 Hot Dog Cart and free shipping...

Robb

Thanks, @Plell for the heads up!

Cam_n_Stu

I wonder if now these are available in retail box format if they will become available in UK / Europe.

Aanchir

Cam_n_Stu said:

I wonder if now these are available in retail box format if they will become available in UK / Europe.

I commented here on some of the logistical issues that could come up when trying to release this set in non-English-speaking regions. And even the UK might be a bit of a hassle since that's a much smaller market than the US, and one which normally just shares the European editions of the sets to the best of my knowledge. TLG would probably need a LOT of assurance that the products would be successful in the UK in order to produce a British English edition for such a small market. Multilingual editions could be sold in a wider market, but the challenges of doing that with such a thick and text-heavy booklet as the MBA manuals are much more substantial than with average sets or even LEGO Architecture sets.

legogregors

Are these sets ever discounted significantly or is the best option a good promotion? Thanks,

Cam_n_Stu

@Aanchir

Thanks for the pointer. I've just ordered MBA Level 1 via a relative in the US so I wasn't aware how text intensive these are. I sure lots of people in the UK and Aus/NZ would put up with US English to have access to these sets but TLG will not allow that so as you say localised versions would be necessary. Disappointing.

TheLoneTensor

legogregors said:

Are these sets ever discounted significantly or is the best option a good promotion? Thanks,

To this point, the only deals seen are those that are coupled with a promotion. This is mostly because these sets are about as "exclusive" as possible because only Lego sells it, and no other retailer.

Unless they want to clear shelf space in the future, I wouldn't expect to see them discounted at all.

ColoradoBricks

Agreed, promotion time is the only way to get MBA "on discount". I will get mine on Monday and use my 10% coupon on it and coupled with a key-chain or poly, will also get the free hot dog poly.

tamamahm

I still can not find my Lego catalog, so I may be out my 10%. I do not even know if I had a 10% on there, but since I often do... This one probably did. I will probably take one last look tomorrow.

ColoradoBricks

Already OOS on [email protected], not surprising, nice models and color scheme.

ryanromusic

Does anybody have the Steampunk set? I saw it at the store and really liked the look of it. $100 CDN for 600+ pieces is a little steep, but I'm unfamiliar with the Master Builder set. Does it simply include instructions for different models? What makes it (and others) "Master Builder Academy?" Any thoughts?

CurvedRoadPlate

I really enjoy the Master Builder Academy. I have the first several sets and have bought the Steampunk set. In addition to being a great set of parts, the strongest part of the Master Builder Academy sets are the instructions. Instead of being simple pictorial instructions like all other sets, MBA sets feature interviews with Lego designers, and additional inspiration and pics of MOCs for inspiration.
The pictorial instructions feature notes explaining why a particular piece is used in addition to highlighting different building techniques. The concepts and techniques in successive sets expand on each other, they reinforce ideas from previous sets.
The sets are intended to be built in order for this reason. I think there is value in the sets individually but they are more valuable as part of an understanding of Lego build techniques. That being said, I skipped several sets to get the Steampunk MBA.
Let me know if I can provide more info.

Aanchir

ryanromusic said:

Does anybody have the Steampunk set? I saw it at the store and really liked the look of it. $100 CDN for 600+ pieces is a little steep, but I'm unfamiliar with the Master Builder set. Does it simply include instructions for different models? What makes it (and others) "Master Builder Academy?" Any thoughts?

It's way more than just instructions for multiple models. You can get that in pretty much any Creator set. I posted a description of what MBA has to offer here. It includes a link to an online version of the Kit 1 manual so you can get a feel for what sorts of contents the manuals tend to have. It's probably not for everyone, particularly not for people who have little interest in MOCing or who already know all the design techniques they think they're ever going to need for their preferred style of MOCing. But it's remarkably enlightening for less experienced MOCists, and it's also a wonderful tool for reinforcing whatever skills you already have as a MOCist.

RocketBaseAlpha

I got the last Invention Designer set on the shelf a couple of weeks ago and they've been out of stock at the local store ever since. I expect these to be hot for a while, as the intersection of Lego + Steampunk was bound to be popular.

The $80 is a steep price, but the high quality of the books and the variety and number of model designs make it worthwhile.

My son and I have built the time machine so far. Fun build, interesting details. Now I've got to convince him to tear it down so we can use the pieces in one of the other steampunk-inspired side models in the book. But he's still playing with it.

The "concepts" the books teach were particularly interesting to my son, who just turned six years old has started building MOCs of his own.

Highly recommended.

murphquake

@rocketbasealpha i hate to do this to you but get him the lime green colored sets (space builder and robot & micro builder), they were the original level 1 (the branding only remains in the logo on the minifig's 'shirt' and the instruction manual kit numbers) and will really help with the concepts they present. Each level builds on the previous one as you progress and will teach more and more advanced techniques.

tamamahm

Space builder was one of my sons favorite. The 7-9 sets topped it for him, but he did enjoy it.

Rainstorm26

I bought my son Level 1 spaceship and found it to be very nice. The problem is that if I start buying more, I am going to want all of them which is going to cost me $320+ tax for all (not including if they introduce more). Thinking about it like this is kind of a turn-off. So I am on the fence. I just think I could buy a couple of the really nice modular buildings for less than this.

Plell

Side note - TLG posted a job opening yesterday for Senior Art Director for MBA. Part of the job description is "Work closely with CMA Project Management and our translation agency to set a smooth transition to new markets." So it looks like they're planning more global availability in the near future.