Subject:
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Re: My thoughts on the 2001 sets (Life on Mars and LEGO Studios)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.year.2001, lugnet.reviews
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Date:
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Wed, 29 Nov 2000 13:20:55 GMT
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Viewed:
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2341 times
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Just thought I'd drop in a few comments of my own, having grabbed a
couple of Life on Mars sets from the local TRU.
First off, some overall comments about the theme - looks like LEGO is
getting its groove back. These models are interesting, imaginative and
modular - they're fun to play with beyond the building stage because
many of them are designed to let you take apart & reconfigure them in
various ways. Also, the price is pretty good - for a lot of the models, it
hovers right around the 10c per piece breakpoint that a lot of people seem
to use to determine "fair price".
The mecha/robots seem to be fairly posable, unlike previous attempts
(Robotron, anyone) and make extensive use of the wonderful Star Wars
'click hinge', which is as far as I am concerned a godsend to people
doing that style of building.
Anyway, on to more specific comments...
Frank Filz wrote:
> 7310 Mono Jet 33 pcs $3.99 1 minifig:
>
> The figure is identified as the "Assistant" in the
> instructions.
And atop the box - this is the first time I've seen the characters in a set
identified on the box by name. Also, checking through the sets that were
present, it looks like if you buy the full theme, you'll have some
duplication among the explorers, but very little among the aliens - each of
the sets I saw had a different alien in it, although I don't know what the
largest set contains.
> There is a light blue slope and 2x4 plate, this light blue
> is the same light blue as in the 2000 Belville sets.
It is to regular LEGO blue what the new 'verdigris' is to regular LEGO
green - a sort of pale, grayish version of the color that I hope sticks
around. The 'salmon' color seems to be the equivalent for red.
> 7311 Red Planet Cruiser 73 pcs $6.99 1 martian:
>
> A nice little flyer vehicle which has a single foot. 4 3 stud long round
> click hinge arms are included in dark grey. This new part has a male
> and female click hinge, one at each end and is ribbed.
I beg to differ. There are six of the little buggers - two of them are on
the 'leg'. Anyway, they look like they'll be quite useful for mecha
builders and the like - I'll say it again, long live the click hinge!
> A light grey 2x2 round tile with an interesting
> flame printing is used. A light grey battle droid arm holds the
> instrument panel. The instrument panel is a grey 1x2 plate w/rod along
> one side, topped with a dark grey 1x2 tile with a new alien printing.
> This control panel arrangement is used in many of the Mars sets, and is
> quite nice.
I liked the control panel - it gave the impression of something that could
fold out of the way for easier entrance/egress from the vehicle.
> Overall, this is a great little model, and worth buying in
> quantity.
Definitely.
> 7312 T3-Trike 99 pcs $9.99 1 minifig:
>
> This model is a nice 3 wheeled trike with each wheel on an independently
> sprung suspension arm. A trans grey (smoke) 6x6 hemisphere dome provides
> a windshield (but doesn't seal the compartment very well).
This is the same dome that was foind in trans-lt. blue in great quantities
in the
divers sets - good to see it in a different color!
> The driver is
> identified as Doc in the instructions. Doc is a white minifig with gold
> and silver printing (in a different style from the Assistant). Doc
> sports a white helmet with metallic blue visor.
If I remember right, he also uses the "Spielberg" head from the Movie
Studio.
> 7313 Red Planet Protector 194 pcs $19.99 1 martian:
>
> This is a decent looking mech.
Well...sorta. I was disappointed by the fact that the various 'arms' just
hang down and are not really posable - a simple Technic friction peg could
have solved that problem.
> It is piloted by the martian Centauri.
> Centauri has a blue torso and legs. This set has several new parts. It
> includes the new canopy in trans grey,
Speaking of this new canopy - between this and the UFO saucer pieces,
anyone interested in making Cylon ships ought to be pretty much set.
> Other interesting parts include a dark grey Scala
> table leg, dark grey 1x2 grooved bricks, 2 2x2 tiles with red grille
> printing,
For the record, these are originally from Sebulba's podracer.
> 7314 Recon-Mech RP 194 pcs $19.99 1 martian:
>
> This is another interesting mech.
I haven't bought it (yet), but from the pictures it looks like it's a
better
overall mech than the 7313 in terms of the range of poses, etc.
> 7315 Solar Explorer 242 pcs $34.99 3 minifigs.
>
> This is a nice little modular shuttle craft. The crew includes Doc
> (described in 7312), Mac and BB. Mac sports a new bearded head.
Isn't Mac the same head as from the 2000 City Center construction sets?
His manic "would you trust this man with heavy machinery?" grin looks
pretty darn familiar.
Anyway, I'm pretty excited about picking up the rest of the Life on Mars
line - it looks like this is the best thing to happen to Space for a long
time,
both in terms of model design and parts selection.
J
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