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LEGO Ideas: Doctor Who & WALL-E coming!

by Thita (admin) on February 9, 2015

in LEGO Exclusives

A few days ago exciting news was posted on the LEGO Ideas blog: the LEGO Ideas review team had made their decision and have chosen the next LEGO Ideas set from eligible candidates. And there is more great news! 🙂

You may remember that in the previous review announcement it was indicated that LEGO was still evaluating the two LEGO Doctor Who projects that reached 10,000 votes in that period. Decision has been made on those as well. This brings the number of models chosen from the November 2014 review up to three: LEGO Ideas #9 Bird Project (already have been released as #21301 LEGO Ideas Birds), LEGO Ideas #10 The Big Bang Theory (still no update on this project although it has been selected), and LEGO Ideas #12 Doctor Who and Companions. And from this review period we can welcome LEGO Ideas #11 WALL-E! See video-announcement and other details below!

“Over the past months, the LEGO Ideas Review Board has been evaluating eight spectacular projects. In the end, only one outstanding design made it through this review and will become an official LEGO product. We are happy to welcome the following concept into the LEGO Ideas product family: Big congratulations to Angus MacLane who created this blocky version of everyone’s favorite hopelessly romantic robot. MacLane is a Pixar animator and director, who actually worked on the WALL-E film. He created the model during the WALL-E production, and submitted it to LEGO Ideas in hopes of it becoming a set. Your hopes and dreams for WALL-E have come true, as the creation will become the next LEGO Ideas product.”

“During our last review announcement in November 2014, we indicated that we were still evaluating two timey-wimey projects: “Doctor Who and Companions” and a project simply named “Doctor Who.” After much consideration the LEGO Review Board has come to a decision about these two projects: YES! The LEGO Group will produce a “Doctor Who”-themed project and the LEGO Review Board has chosen the “Doctor Who and Companions” project by LEGO Ideas member AndrewClark2. Andy Clark is an artist at a gaming company by day, and a LEGO builder and pretend run-away Time Lord by night. For those following closely, this makes Doctor Who and Companions the third project from the First 2014 LEGO Review period to become an official LEGO set! We are absolutely thrilled to share this news with you, and we only wish there were a real TARDIS so we could transport you straight to the set’s release date. We’re still working out the final product design, pricing and availably for both the WALL-E and Dr. Who and Companions LEGO sets, so check back on LEGO Ideas later this year for details.”

“The LEGO Review Board has evaluated each project according to our decision criteria. We’ve decided that all other concepts in the Second 2014 review period will unfortunately not be produced as LEGO sets. This decision, however, does in no way take away from the incredible talent put into these projects or the passion supporters have shown. Getting 10,000 votes on a project is an extraordinary accomplishment in and of itself but it’s really just the beginning of a journey. After reaching 10,000 votes the project will enter the LEGO Review stage. During the LEGO Review, a team of specialists within The LEGO Group – including LEGO set designers, marketing and business representatives, and other relevant team members – investigate and evaluate the project to determine its potential as a LEGO set. This involves analyzing the votes and information you give us about your project as well as looking at things like playability, safety, and fit within the LEGO brand. This takes a while and the timing varies because of all the different factors involved in the decision process. Every potential LEGO product, including those developed internally, goes through a process like this and must meet the same standards. The LEGO Review Board makes all final decisions on which new sets the LEGO Group will release based on LEGO Ideas projects.”

“The third 2014 LEGO Review is well underway, and you can expect results late spring/early summer. Remember we have updated our review schedule to three times per year. We’re very excited about bringing you both the WALL-E and Doctor Who And Companions sets and look forward to considering more of the amazing projects reaching 10,000 supporters and thereby qualifying for the LEGO Review.”

I was pretty sure that the LEGO WALL-E project was going to be chosen. It is a perfect fit for LEGO, in line with previous LEGO Ideas sets, and is just a winning model overall. As far as the LEGO Doctor Who set, I know many LEGO fans are very happy! I have also heard rumors that there may be other LEGO Doctor Who sets in the future, even besides the one that was approved for LEGO Ideas. Kind of like the expansion of LEGO Minecraft, which also originally came out of LEGO Ideas (then LEGO CUUSOO).

I’m a little concerned that there has been no updates on the LEGO Ideas Big Bang Theory sets that was approved in the previous review period. It is a project that requires a license, so perhaps that’s where the holdup is. Or maybe they are holding off the set until the next review announcement, as I don’t really see any projects in that period that will likely get approved; some have already been made into LEGO sets (LEGO Helicarrier, and LEGO Jurassic Park), some are too large, and some just unlikely. Although I would like to see the LEGO Lord of the Rings Minas Tirith project made into an official LEGO set, I’m not holding my breath…

So what do you think? Are you looking forward to the LEGO WALL-E and LEGO Doctor Who sets? Which one are you planning to get, if any? And which one of the upcoming projects do you think will make it through the next review period? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! Also, if you would like to see the currently available LEGO Ideas sets, visit the Online LEGO Shop.

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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What are LEGO Ultra Agents AppBricks?

by Thita (admin) on February 8, 2015

in Other LEGO Sets & Themes

We have mentioned briefly in previous articles that in the second and third wave of LEGO Ultra Agents sets there is something called AppBricks. In the January/February issue of the LEGO Club Magazine you can see what these AppBricks look like; black 1×1 bricks with standard studs on top and one side and a unique looking stud on another side. So what are AppBricks and how do they work? Let’s find it out! 🙂

According to the LEGO Ultra Agents website: “The LEGO AppBrick is a special carbon-infused LEGO brick that conducts electricity from your finger to a tablet device. The AppBricks merge physical and digital play in a new and innovative way exclusive to the Ultra Agent 2015 range. Each of the new Ultra Agents play sets comes with one or more AppBricks that can be used to build the new and cool Ultra Gadgets. As you build the AppBricks into the 2015 Ultra Gadgets and combine them with your tablet, a new and exciting world opens up. Use the AppBricks to unlock unique game features and find secret clues. With the AppBricks you have the upper hand and hold the power to defeat the supervillains and save Astor City.”

So as you can see from the description above, these bricks are made of a conductive material that allows you to interact with the touch-screen of tablet device. Basically like how tablet pens work, but the interesting thing with LEGO AppBricks is that you can integrate them into small LEGO creations and thus allow your creation to be part of the game on your tablet. See the video below for more details on how the AppBricks work:

LEGO has been experimenting with blending real LEGO bricks and virtual games. There was LEGO Life of George, then the recently released LEGO FUSION sets – all allowing you to build with LEGO bricks and integrate them into games via touch-screen devices. The idea is still in its infancy, and some of the ways the integration is implemented and the games are designed are going to work better than others. LEGO Life of George has been discontinued, and while three of the LEGO FUSION sets did get some traction, the fourth one was pulled from the market because it didn’t work very well. (You can see all the LEGO FUSION sets here.) However I’m pretty sure that the technology is here to stay and LEGO will continue improving their products in this regard. It will be through trial and error for LEGO to find the best combination that takes advantage of both real-world building and virtual fun.

The second wave of LEGO Ultra Agents sets will all include some of these new AppBricks. The smallest sets have two, the larger ones more. The summer LEGO Ultra Agents sets will also have AppBricks. So if you want to try them out and see how they work, you can keep an eye out for the new sets that will be released shortly (March for the second wave, summer for the third wave). The game itself can be downloaded at the LEGO Ultra Agents website, and you can already check out the sets under the LEGO Ultra Agents section of the Online LEGO Shop.

What do you think? Do you believe the AppBricks are a good idea? Would you like to see them in more LEGO sets to integrate them with apps and games? Or you have no interest in them? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below. 😉

And you might also like to check out the following related posts:

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LEGO Ideas: Doctor Who & WALL-E coming!

What are LEGO Ultra Agents AppBricks?

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