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OK. I opened the box, I built the models, and here's what I thought
about it:
The Packaging: quite different from other LEGO sets. I think the box
was designed by someone who pays more attention to marketing than most
TLG designers. It's a slicker presentation. Inside, there's less
cardboard than in other LEGO sets. No internal dividers at all, no
plastic tray (why should there be -- no display windows in the box),
just a plain cardboard tray and the decorative card-stock wrapper-box.
There was a mix of holey bags and plain-plastic bags.
The Pieces: mostly black, dark gray, and gray, with some white, yellow,
blue and red. A lot of colors for two mostly-dark ships. There seems
to be a high number of imperfections on the parts, both from molding and
from shipping. My R5-D4 head was marred by black ink on the stud. :(
While there are a lot of special pieces, they are used most
strategically, and I think the overall ratio of special pieces to
regular pieces is very low. Lots of bricks, plates, tiles, and slopes.
And a lot of the special pieces are regular LEGO special pieces that a
lot of people will be happy to see. Other than the droid, minifigs and
a few expected decorated parts, the new pieces are:
- a large number of the new stepping hinge bricks
- the Y-Wing canopy
- the TIE canopy
- the connector between the TIE panels and arms. Imagine a 4x4 brick
with a 2x2x2 inverted convex corner slope on each corner.
Of these, the only real SPUD (single-purpose, ugly decorative) piece is
the front canopy from the TIE fighter.
I expect that we'll see some serious parts auctions based on these sets,
especially if the collector and scalper markets are saturated before all
sets are sold out of retail.
The Instructions: they look very cool, they tie into the overall
packaging quite well. The small pics from the movies on each page is
quite nice (but I'm getting old enough to want bright light and a
magnifying glass). The steps are very simple, just a few pieces each.
The instructions could have been compressed into a lot fewer steps, but
that's pretty standard for LEGO (I'm still getting over building the
Technic space shuttle, so I've currently got an expectation for
higher-complexity instructions).
There are one or two errors in the instructions, the biggest is they
show Vader's head as yellow instead of grey. This guy looks basically
like Victor Von Doom (hasn't that always been true of Vader?) after he
got the first scar. Nice bags under his eyes.
The Ships: These things are bigger than I realized they'd be,
especially the TIE fighter. Which is pretty cool. Most LEGO sets I get,
the models turn out not as big as I thought they'd be. The ships are
not as big as they should be to be 'to scale', but so what? I'm mostly
very happy with these ships (and this set), althoug most of what follows
seems to be grumbling.
The TIE fighter seems chunky -- the arms and panels should have been
thinner (I know, that's hard to do in LEGO). I think TLG/LF(I?) chose
playability over accuracy, because the panels are held on with Technic
pegs, which would have been hard to do if the arms were thin, and the
trailing 'wing' surface made as thin as a plate. I assume the pegs are
used so kids can pop the panels off when Darth crashes his ship. I'm OK
with that, except is makes the TIE fighter somewhat rattle-y. The TIE
will come apart into 6 snap-together pieces.
The interior of the TIE isn't so great on detail. There's a single,
free-standing 1x2 column with a tile-panel on top. When Vader sits in
the pilot's 'seat', his head is almost at the top of the compartment,
and set way back so he's actually behind the center-point of the side
arms. I expected him to be positioned centered on the porthole, right
in the front.
I'm not sure why there's so much blue on the TIE fighter -- I don't
remember any in the movies. Ditto on the dark gray.
Compared to the TIE Fighter, the Y-Wing is definitely too small. Just
the delta-shaped cockpit section should be as massive as the TIE's pilot
module, but it isn't (at least partly because the TIE is too massive).
Wasn't the Y-Wing originally a two-seater? The two big problems with
this model: the top guns rotate, but they don't elevate (no
hinge-plates, just a 2x2 turntable for the base). And the pilot has to
basically lie down to fit (wasn't the Y-Wing originally a two-seater?).
A secondary problem is that the bottom is entirely flat. It looks like
the landing gear (standard 2x2x2 round space pads) were stuck on pretty
late in the design cycle. To fix the pilot's head-space problem, and
make the bottom more accurate, they should have put a couple of layers
of plates on the bottom of the cockpit.
I like all the storage areas they've put on the Y-Wing. Probably not
prototypical, but what the heck. There's a removable mailbox element,
with Alliance graphics on the door, and a opening storage space at the
fork of the Y.
Alternate models: these things are somewhere between really cool and
really goofy-looking, but they are *there* (a change from many recent
LEGO sets), and they are more than just one or two thrown-together
pieces of junk (a change from the rest of the recent LEGO sets). There
are multiple views of each alternate model, which can only encourage
kids to try building them.
Bottom line: these things look really cool sitting on top of my
monitor, but they are not the ultimate Star Wars designs. Lots of room
for fiddling and fixing by the lucky owner. Which is actually a good
thing. If TLG produced perfect models, all we'd do is put them together
and admire (which I do enough of anyway). The set has lots of good
parts to modify the ships, or create something completely different.
Steve
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Im glad to see that the sets are out and people are getting and building
them. Although there are none as I could find in the NJ area, I await
impatiently. To answer a few questions.
1) The TIE Advanced(Lord Vaders TIE fighter) had no blue on it. It was all
black with some silver tinted solar panel arrays on both the inside and
outside of the wings. However, an all black model was probably a little
dreary to LEGO, so they added a few colors is my guess.
2) The Y-Wing was a fighter/bomber, although it wasn't much of a fighter the
way the pilots were using them in the movie. It was slow and not very agile,
but it had more armor than an X-Wing and carried 4 times as many Torpedoes.
Also, the Y-Wing was single pilot only and had two ion cannons on the roof
which don't pivot. I think LEGO added this so you can get the pilot out of
the cockpit. The ion cannons were mainly used for disabling enemy craft and
shorting out their electrical systems. It did little to no damage to the
craft itself although it worked great on shields. Hence, the Y-Wing was often
thrust into battle to do the impossible job of disabling key ships for
boarding operations in the midst of combat situations. For the top Ion
cannons to rotate would require a second person in the ship to aim it as
concentrating on the direction of flight seems a little more important than
pivoting a cannon that doesn't really damage an enemy.
3) On the nose are two laser cannons and the torpedoes launched from the lower
sides of the wedge shaped front section. This leads me to believe you are
correct that the ship is a little smaller than expected as it doesn't look
like it could store any in the ship at all on the front.
I know I'm getting a little anal here. Playing the xwing series on my
computer at home really shows a lot of detail as to size relations, strengths,
weaknesses and usages of each vessel. Also, the official "Science of
Starwars" and cross sectional views(I really like these as I am an Engineer)
allow one to see where everything is supposed to be on the different ships. I
believe the mail box thingy you are talking about on the Y-Wing is right where
either the Hyperdrive should be or where the shield generator is. Whoops.
Guess this ship is missing a little something, eh. ;)
What I am curious about is how they did the back of the Snowspeeder? The
craft looks so small, I don't know how a navagator/harpoon gunner could even
fit back there. I was pleasantly surprised at the back views of the X-Wing.
This ship is almost proportional. I can't wait to get mine.
Regards,
Jason F.
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On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:53:21 GMT, "Jason Fabisch"
<phoenix5@bellatlantic.net> wrote:
> Also, the Y-Wing was single pilot only and had two ion cannons on the roof
> which don't pivot.
I think we're both right on this one. I didn't have a lot of time to
poke around, but I did run across some information that there were two
models of Y-Wings. One was a single-seater with the ion cannon fixed
(pointing to either fore or aft). The other was a two seater, with a
rotating ion cannon, fired by a navigator/gunner.
Steve
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Steve Bliss wrote in message <36e56951.20687535@lugnet.com>...
> I think we're both right on this one. I didn't have a lot of time to
> poke around, but I did run across some information that there were two
> models of Y-Wings. One was a single-seater with the ion cannon fixed
> (pointing to either fore or aft). The other was a two seater, with a
> rotating ion cannon, fired by a navigator/gunner.
Very true. The original Y-Wing was a two seater. However, there is a
single-seat varient called the Longprobe. Relevant text from The Star Wars
Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, copyright 1990, West End Games:
"The Alliance employs two basic Y-Wing models, the BTL-A4 and the BTL-S3.
The S3 is the two-man varient. It has superior shelds to the A4, as well as
better accuracy with its ion cannon (directly controlled by the gunner).
The A4 is also known as the Y-Wing Longprobe. It is modified for deep-space
missions with longer in-flight time. Whereas the S3 has no nav computer for
making calculations for hyperspace (it uses an R2 unit with pre-set
coordinates instead), the A4 is equipped with a sophisticated model capable
of unlimited jumps...The biggest difference between the two Y-Wing models is
the omission of the second crewman's station in the Longprobe. The standard
Y-Wing holds a weapons officer who sits behind the pilot, and he has manual
control of the ion cannon turret. In the Longprobe, the space is taken up
by a nav computer and hyperdrive back-up units. The A4 pilot must fix his
ion cannon in one position (usually directly forward) and cannot make use of
the turret's rotation capabilities."
So, anally speaking, the Lego Y-Wing is a bastardization of the two
varients--ie, a one-seater with a rotating cannon and an R2 unit. I'm sure
I won't be the only one to rectify this situation when I get finally get the
SW sets...
BTW, would anyone like to make a wager as to which city in the contiguous US
will get the SW Lego sets last? My bet is Great Falls, Montana.
Coincidently, I happen to live there right now. To paraphrase: "Well, if
there's a bright center to the United States, you're in the city that it's
furthest from."
:Derek
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I believe you may be right about who gets them last as you live farther away
from CT than most. However, NJ is the worst state in the US when it comes to
getting something new. Ever wonder why everyone always pokes fun at NJ? Its
because it sucks here(in my opinion anyway). Its full of people that don't
want to be here and they make sure they show it. Ever heard the Jersey Girl
and Jersey Guy songs. All these beautiful houses full of rich people that
work and commute to NY but don't even live there so they crowd up NJ and bring
the NYC attitude back with them. And the weather, don't even get me started
with that one. Freezing in the winter, humid in the summer, never a happy
medium. And the shore, a waste pit caused by excessive dumping. Ugh. North
and South Jersey are so different its sick. Its industrialized with smog
factories in the North, and large amounts of rolling hills and farmland in the
South. No wonder there was a petition going around to see how people felt
about splitting the state into two, North Jersey and South Jersey. So you
wonder who is going to get the new LEGO sets last. Jeez this state can't even
figure out what it is, even less what it wants. Do we have the Yankees or
not. The Jets or not. The Giants or not. OK, none of the above. Jeez. NJ
will be last as no one even wants to stop and drop them off in this state.
Sorry, just my opinion. Sorry for ranting, I want my SW sets. Can you tell I
want to move?
Jason F.
To paraphrase: "Well, if you are in a dark and smelly spot in the United
States, you must be in NJ."
> BTW, would anyone like to make a wager as to which city in the contiguous US
> will get the SW Lego sets last? My bet is Great Falls, Montana.
> Coincidently, I happen to live there right now. To paraphrase: "Well, if
> there's a bright center to the United States, you're in the city that it's
> furthest from."
>
> :Derek
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On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 20:28:10 GMT, Jason Fabisch uttered the following
profundities...
> I believe you may be right about who gets them last as you live farther away
> from CT than most. However, NJ is the worst state in the US when it comes to
> getting something new. Ever wonder why everyone always pokes fun at NJ? Its
> because it sucks here(in my opinion anyway).
And mine, too. I lived there for 12 years, and it was horrible.
If you remember that horrible film, "Desperately Seeking Susan,"
one of the comments were:"Susan! I thought you were dead!", to
which she replied,"No, I was just in Jersey...."
--
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<SNIP>
> Also, the Y-Wing was single pilot only and had two ion cannons on the roof
> which don't pivot. I think LEGO added this so you can get the pilot out of
> the cockpit. The ion cannons were mainly used for disabling enemy craft • and
> shorting out their electrical systems. It did little to no damage to the
> craft itself although it worked great on shields. Hence, the Y-Wing was • often
> thrust into battle to do the impossible job of disabling key ships for
> boarding operations in the midst of combat situations. For the top Ion
> cannons to rotate would require a second person in the ship to aim it as
> concentrating on the direction of flight seems a little more important than
> pivoting a cannon that doesn't really damage an enemy.
My friend (who is really into starwars) told me that there *are* two pilots
in the "real" thing, one that flies the ship and one that aims the ion
cannon, that *did* pivot. But why care, the set is great.
--Tobias
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On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:18:41 GMT, Steve Bliss uttered the following
profundities...
> Of these, the only real SPUD (single-purpose, ugly decorative) piece is
> the front canopy from the TIE fighter.
I thought the official acronym designations were to be
similar to bodily functions?
Such as:
POOP:Plainly a Once Only Piece.
I am not terribly witty, but I am sure someone might come up
with something better!
--
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Richard Dee writes:
> On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:18:41 GMT, Steve Bliss uttered the following
> profundities...
>
> > Of these, the only real SPUD (single-purpose, ugly decorative) piece is
> > the front canopy from the TIE fighter.
>
> I thought the official acronym designations were to be
> similar to bodily functions?
> Such as:
> POOP:Plainly a Once Only Piece.
> I am not terribly witty, but I am sure someone might come up
> with something better!
But we can't get too witty, such as finding a suitable lego-ish definition for
the acronym of "So Happy It's Thursday" or else Todd might not allow it, and
it could just be in plain bad taste. :)
BURP and SPUD are somewhat derogatory, but are also cute, so they stick.
Definitions for acronyms like SNOT, POOP, etc., are more difficult to come up
with and, IMO, they won't wear as well as the non-cute variety.
-Tom McD.
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On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:18:41 GMT, blisses@worldnet.att.net (Steve
Bliss) wrote:
>
> Of these, the only real SPUD (single-purpose, ugly decorative) piece is
> the front canopy from the TIE fighter.
Is this really a SPUD? I haven't had a chance to see this set in real
life yet, but my first reaction from the picture was 'neat -- I wonder
if they are going to use the TIE canopy as the window in a Bespin
playset next year?'
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Mike Case writes:
> On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:18:41 GMT, blisses@worldnet.att.net (Steve
> Bliss) wrote:
>
> >
> > Of these, the only real SPUD (single-purpose, ugly decorative) piece is
> > the front canopy from the TIE fighter.
>
>
> Is this really a SPUD? I haven't had a chance to see this set in real
> life yet, but my first reaction from the picture was 'neat -- I wonder
> if they are going to use the TIE canopy as the window in a Bespin
> playset next year?'
The first time I saw the TIE fighter window, I wanted to make two things:
1) The Bespin Duel scene, with the big round window, and
2) the Emperor's Throne Room from RotJ.
I don't consider it a SPUD- there are a lot of big, round windows in the Star
Wars Universe. Sticking the elongated "laser guns" at the bottom of it does
almost seem to be a feeble attempt by TLG to make it more SPUD-like, though...
eric
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On Fri, 12 Mar 1999 11:22:36 GMT, "Lorbaat" <eric@nospam.thirteen.net>
wrote:
> I don't consider it a SPUD- there are a lot of big, round windows in the Star
> Wars Universe. Sticking the elongated "laser guns" at the bottom of it does
> almost seem to be a feeble attempt by TLG to make it more SPUD-like, though...
I agree about the hard-points for the guns.
But compared to the rest of the pieces in this set, the TIE front-side
seem very SPUD-ish to me...
Steve
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On Fri, 12 Mar 1999 01:04:15 GMT, mcase@metrolink.net (Mike Case) wrote:
> On Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:18:41 GMT, blisses@worldnet.att.net (Steve
> Bliss) wrote:
>
> > Of these, the only real SPUD (single-purpose, ugly decorative) piece is
> > the front canopy from the TIE fighter.
>
> Is this really a SPUD? I haven't had a chance to see this set in real
> life yet, but my first reaction from the picture was 'neat -- I wonder
> if they are going to use the TIE canopy as the window in a Bespin
> playset next year?'
My (main) problem is that this piece is bigger than it should be -- its
base is 2 studs deep, plus the domed part and gun-points that stick out
in front. And the whole thing is the trans-smoke material. I think if
this part was only 1-deep (plus sticking-out parts), I'd be much happier
with it.
On the plus side, they inset notches around the round parts, so it will
be easier to bury this part further into walls.
Maybe TLG's got other plans for this piece, because it certainly doesn't
look optimized for use as a TIE fighter element...
Steve
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In lugnet.reviews, Steve Bliss writes:
> OK. I opened the box, I built the models, and here's what I thought
> about it: • --snipped all the great text reviewing the sets--
>
hey steve
i'm tuning in REAL late here (i haven't visited the reviews group for quite
awhile) but i wanted to thank you for your in-depth review of not only the
models but the elements, instructions, etc. well done and satisfying enough to
hold me over until i can actually SEE a #7150 set in utah (probably not this
year).
i particularly liked your mentioning victor von doom...i used to be quite a
marvel comic fan and doomy was my favorite villain next to galactus.
..joseph g
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On Fri, 2 Apr 1999 22:08:21 GMT, "Joseph Gonzalez"
<hsadm2.jgonzale@email.state.ut.us> wrote:
> In lugnet.reviews, Steve Bliss writes:
> > OK. I opened the box, I built the models, and here's what I thought
> > about it: • --snipped all the great text reviewing the sets--
> >
>
> hey steve
> i'm tuning in REAL late here (i haven't visited the reviews group for quite
> awhile) but i wanted to thank you for your in-depth review of not only the
> models but the elements, instructions, etc. well done and satisfying enough to
> hold me over until i can actually SEE a #7150 set in utah (probably not this
> year).
Thanks for the kind comments. I'm not sure I could do those kind of
reviews very often, but this was a special case.
> i particularly liked your mentioning victor von doom...i used to be quite a
> marvel comic fan and doomy was my favorite villain next to galactus.
I really like Galactus (and the Silver Surfer, of course), but he should
have shown up much less frequently than he did. Constantly battling
unstoppable cosmic demigods leads to stale plotlines.
Steve
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<SNIP>
> The Pieces: mostly black, dark gray, and gray, with some white, yellow,
> blue and red. A lot of colors for two mostly-dark ships. There seems
> to be a high number of imperfections on the parts, both from molding and
> from shipping. My R5-D4 head was marred by black ink on the stud. :(
Yeah, and my R5-D4 (isn´t it R4-D5?) body had poor printing. No black! :-(
--Tobias
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