Subject:
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Re: Enough trans-antifreeze!
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general, lugnet.space
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Date:
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Sun, 28 Nov 1999 12:58:08 GMT
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Viewed:
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1528 times
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In lugnet.general, Jeff Thompson writes:
> In lugnet.general, Aaron West writes:
> > I just mean that "true" space themes to me were the 1980's sets based on
> > little yellow headed people exploring the galaxy (like in the original idea
> > book). It is mostly a feeling I have from my childhood when LEGO was a
> > peaceful universe where they needed no weapons and had no enemies. Granted,
> > the theme has every right to be expanded, but "true" space to me means non-
> > violent exploration. No battles, no theft, no conquest and no guns. Just
> > little yellow people living in harmony.
> > Cheesy, but satifying.
> > Aaron.
> > "He's got the whole brick in his bucket..."
>
> Smile. That works. But by that definition, at least in my universe,
> the Insectoid sets are definitely space sets - they don't seem
> particularly war-oriented - no more so than any other space theme
> I can think of, and much less so than the space police lines (which are
> inarguably built around conflict). Insectoid just looks to me like
> an alien version of M:tron to me - an exploration and mining
> fleet of some kind. Although I guess the light and sound elements
> are supposed to make you think that lasers are firing or something.
>
> Random comment - the Insectoid light and sound element reminds me of
> the old Mattel Starbird toy from the early 80s. Anyone remember that?
> You'd tilt the starbird up, and a gravity switch of some kind would make
> the whine of the engines get higher and higher. Then you'd tilt the nose
> of the spaceship down, and the sound would cycle down accordingly. Whereas
> LEGO cycles the pitch of the sound upward based on how long you hold
> the button down.
>
> I can't decide which I think is cooler - having a button that makes
> the pitch of the sound get higher, or having it do it based on the
> orientation of the ship. My wife argues that it's cooler to let the
> kid have more explicit control over the sound by decoupling the pitch
> of the sound from the orientation of the craft, the way LEGO implemented
> it. I guess I can agree, but the noise the starbird made as you
> tilted it up was just so darn cool and satisfying.
>
> --
>
> jthompson@esker.com "Float on a river, forever and ever, Emily"
On reflection (and a shower) I have to agree about the Insectoids. They do
fit my definition of true space. Were I not to admit that, I'd be a racist.
Just cause they don't have yellow heads is no excuse not to include them. I
guess they just feel disjointed from continuity, but heck, so does Ice Planet
2000!
So, perhaps what I am really missing is the whole "city in space" feel of the
1980's sets. That "space town" has been lost by LEGO lately (probably because
TLG [or whatever] knows we all would just pillage any village with our death-
cruisers.). Of course, so has "town" town, there just are NO houses!
By the way, I had the Starbird (somewhere in the attic now)! That was the
coolest pitch control, deceleration tilted downward, acceleration tilted
upward. Sounded like a detonation buildup sequence. Pitch and tilt would be
cool on a lego lander of some sort.
The Insectiod electronic element, when combined with the UFO hull sections in
circular formation makes an EXCELLENT super-space battleship turret cannon.
Who says I am non-violent? I still make 'em that way.
Boldly Building What No One Has Built Before...
Aaron
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Enough trans-antifreeze!
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| (...) Smile. That works. But by that definition, at least in my universe, the Insectoid sets are definitely space sets - they don't seem particularly war-oriented - no more so than any other space theme I can think of, and much less so than the (...) (25 years ago, 28-Nov-99, to lugnet.general, lugnet.space)
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