Lego Friends

[gifboy99]

While looking at the new sets for 2012 on brickset, I discovered that LEGO has again created a theme geared toward young girls. The first thing I thought if when I saw them was "AAHH! It's Clickits all over again!", but then I took a closer look and discovered that these new sets are very much brick-based rather than having a bunch of specialized parts that can't really be used for anything else other than the purpose it was designed for. I think this is a good move by LEGO. Much better than their previous attempts.One set did catch my attention though. See, I really like sci-fi type robots (and robots in general), so Olivia's Inventor's Workshop stood out to me due to the little remote-controlled robot that it includes. I also noticed that the light on the front of the 'bot is one of the new 1x1 round tiles and that there's a new beaker piece on the table near the back. So I'm looking at these parts and thinking "Just how many Brickforge's element designs is LEGO going to use?" :rolleyes:So anyway, that's my opinion on the new Friends sets, brief though it may be. Post your thoughts!

[Sumiki]

I can't see LEGO "ripping off" what are essentially fan-created parts. The fans created them initially to fill a need within the MOC community, so it stands to reason that LEGO would, eventually, make those molds.I am interested in the new dark-teal color, however, but more so in the ball-joint parts in the new wave of Hero Factory sets.

[Aanchir]

While looking at the new sets for 2012 on {insert site name here}, I discovered that LEGO has again created a theme geared toward young girls. The first thing I thought if when I saw them was "AAHH! It's Clickits all over again!", but then I took a closer look and discovered that these new sets are very much brick-based rather than having a bunch of specialized parts that can't really be used for anything else other than the purpose it was designed for. I think this is a good move by LEGO. Much better than their previous attempts.One set did catch my attention though. See, I really like sci-fi type robots (and robots in general), so Olivia's Inventor's Workshop stood out to me due to the little remote-controlled robot that it includes. I also noticed that the light on the front of the 'bot is one of the new 1x1 round tiles and that there's a new beaker piece on the table near the back. So I'm looking at these parts and thinking "Just how many Brickforge's element designs is LEGO going to use?" :rolleyes:So anyway, that's my opinion on the new Friends sets, brief though it may be. Post your thoughts!

The beaker piece is not new. It was in Collectible Minifigures Series 4 in April of this year.I very much like the LEGO Friends theme and hope that it proves successful. Girls are a fringe market for most LEGO themes, and LEGO has historically had great difficulty selling to girls older than around age 5. Past attempts at girl-oriented themes have had mixed results. Belville was the longest-lasting of these, but it was not well-loved by most AFOLs because of its "juniorized" parts and often-garish color palette.A lot of people have criticized the use of figures other than standard minifigures, but I assume that there's some strong market research suggesting that this will help the theme sell better. And the hair pieces seem to be inter-compatible with regular minifigure hair and heads. The scale is also similar enough to minifigures that many of the accessories and buildings can be used between several themes.This theme also uses a lot of wonderful pastel colors. There's a wide variety of animals, some of which might be usable in regular System sets and MOCs. And of course the general idea seems to be geared towards girls with diverse interests, as evidenced by such unconventional sets as the robot lab and convertible.Overall, I look forward to seeing how this theme does, and I may even consider getting a set or two if I come up with a particularly inspired application for the pieces.EDIT: Also, not sure if you can mention that site now that it has forums. But I'm not staff so there's no way of being sure. I hope sometime Black Six makes the rules about which sites we can or can't mention a bit clearer.EDIT 2:

I am interested in the new dark-teal color, however, but more so in the ball-joint parts in the new wave of Hero Factory sets.

That color is called Dark Azure and actually appeared in the Alien Conquest sets this year (the uniforms of the ADU minifigures) as well as the Spongebob Squarepants set "Heroic Heroes of the Deep". It's in fact lighter and more bluish than the "teal" from the 2001 BIONICLE sets (Bright Bluish Green). More on Dark Azure and some of the other new colors here. Edited November 28, 2011 by Aanchir: Rachira of Time

[Valendale]

I'm seeing this theme and I'm thinking "New cat mold!!! " The sets themselves I'm not too impressed with, so my money will be going to the dinos.