Lego Millennium Falcon....How?!
- Thread starter DARTH SABER
- Start date
This discussion is literally Apple's vs oranges.
Millennium Falcon shaped apples and oranges.
Hammer3246
Sr Member
In the world of Lego, that's what people are willing to pay.
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DARTH SABER
Master Member
I dont think people are really understanding my question.
People are delving into the price and cost of the plastic blocks, engineering, etc.
Im also not saying someone buying a lego is thinking theyre getting an accurate representation or a scale model.
I guess what Im really asking is - what is this appeal of Legos that possesses someone to drop $800 on a blocky model when theres an aboslute uber accurate and cheaper option available?
I just cant wrap my head arounf dishing out $800 bucks for something thats blocky and riddled with little plastic nipples.
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People are delving into the price and cost of the plastic blocks, engineering, etc.
Im also not saying someone buying a lego is thinking theyre getting an accurate representation or a scale model.
I guess what Im really asking is - what is this appeal of Legos that possesses someone to drop $800 on a blocky model when theres an aboslute uber accurate and cheaper option available?
I just cant wrap my head arounf dishing out $800 bucks for something thats blocky and riddled with little plastic nipples.
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The people buying these expensive Lego sets aren’t children. They’re middle-aged people, mostly men, wallowing in childhood nostalgia who want to acquire fantasy stuff they couldn’t have had when they were kids.
Demographically I don’t think that’s particularly different from the market for the Bandai PG Falcon. It’s just that their taste in toys is different.
Demographically I don’t think that’s particularly different from the market for the Bandai PG Falcon. It’s just that their taste in toys is different.
mastersetter
New Member
Lego stuff is serious money, even the stuff I buy for my daughter is expensive, but the quality and what she can build with this stuff is amazing. Lego is at a whole new level than when I loved to play with it. The lego falcon is mental money alright, but not too many folks who buy those are worried about accuracy, like 99% of most folks, if the shape is right then it is right..
To try and answer your question of what is the appeal of the lego model vs the Bandai accurate kit, it all comes down to someones personal taste.
You could also argue your same question of why would people go out and spend the extra money on the DeAgostini scale kit or even buy the smaller Bandai falcon when there is a perfect grade kit sitting there from Bandai that is the far superior screen accurate representation.It all comes down to personal taste.
For me my preference is the larger scale DeAgostini over the Bandai PG one because the modifications and additions I can make to that kit with my current skill level far surpass what I would be able to do on the Perfect Grade kit. And those modifications aren't to make it more screen accurate, it's for me to have more fun in building it and adding additional lighting etc to it. I can see the Lego kit being in the same boat, for some modelers it is more fun for them to have the 7,500 pieces to put together rather than have the couple of hundred parts (I don't know the actual amount) that are in the Bandai kit. Its pretty much what NKG has said above, its all down to what people prefer, while you would prefer to spend less and buy the Bandai kit over the Lego, I am sure there are people out there who would be saying 'why would I buy the Bandai when I can get the Lego kit which will provide me with more enjoyment?'
You could also argue your same question of why would people go out and spend the extra money on the DeAgostini scale kit or even buy the smaller Bandai falcon when there is a perfect grade kit sitting there from Bandai that is the far superior screen accurate representation.It all comes down to personal taste.
For me my preference is the larger scale DeAgostini over the Bandai PG one because the modifications and additions I can make to that kit with my current skill level far surpass what I would be able to do on the Perfect Grade kit. And those modifications aren't to make it more screen accurate, it's for me to have more fun in building it and adding additional lighting etc to it. I can see the Lego kit being in the same boat, for some modelers it is more fun for them to have the 7,500 pieces to put together rather than have the couple of hundred parts (I don't know the actual amount) that are in the Bandai kit. Its pretty much what NKG has said above, its all down to what people prefer, while you would prefer to spend less and buy the Bandai kit over the Lego, I am sure there are people out there who would be saying 'why would I buy the Bandai when I can get the Lego kit which will provide me with more enjoyment?'
ggriffaw
Sr Member
People who spend $800 on a Lego set probably gave almost zero consideration to model kits, die-cast kits, or pre-assembled toys. They are interested in Lego sets. It is a different segment.
I have never seen anyone build a Lego set then paint and weather it.
People also enjoy looking at the very large Lego displays which are not offered as sets. Not because it is a very accurate way to represent the item, but because they admire how well it was represented in plastic blocks. Legos have their own distinct look.
To a certain extent it is like those Funko Pop figures. Are there more accurate representations of the characters? Absolutely, but people like the look of them.
Legos probably also reminds them of building Lego sets as a child.
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I have never seen anyone build a Lego set then paint and weather it.
People also enjoy looking at the very large Lego displays which are not offered as sets. Not because it is a very accurate way to represent the item, but because they admire how well it was represented in plastic blocks. Legos have their own distinct look.
To a certain extent it is like those Funko Pop figures. Are there more accurate representations of the characters? Absolutely, but people like the look of them.
Legos probably also reminds them of building Lego sets as a child.
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darthviper107
Sr Member
I have the Bandai kit and if I could I'd get the Lego kit too, but $800 is a lot and it's big enough to where I don't really have the room.
It's a different situation than a model kit, the appeal is not in how accurate it is, it's the enjoyment from building it (because you can't mess it up) and to a lot of people seeing something made from Lego is cool, in the way of something being made of completely different materials that fairly closely resembles the real thing. It's a similar case where stuff in Minecraft is impressive even though it's not realistic, those people could have learned a 3D modeling program and made a model that actually looks like the thing they want to build, but instead they built it out of blocks which is still impressive in a different way.
It's a different situation than a model kit, the appeal is not in how accurate it is, it's the enjoyment from building it (because you can't mess it up) and to a lot of people seeing something made from Lego is cool, in the way of something being made of completely different materials that fairly closely resembles the real thing. It's a similar case where stuff in Minecraft is impressive even though it's not realistic, those people could have learned a 3D modeling program and made a model that actually looks like the thing they want to build, but instead they built it out of blocks which is still impressive in a different way.
Bloop
Sr Member
I was going to make the exact same analogy to Funk Pop figures when I saw your reply! It was the first thing that popped (no pun intended) into my head. People like the Lego esthetic and will pay for representations of their favorite pop culture things in Lego form. The same goes for Funko Pop.
Personally, I prefer realism and accuracy over stylized representations of things, but I do get why people like them. I've also played around and made a few things out of Legos, but the fun I had was trying to recreate things within the confines of the Legos I had access to. I think it's more interesting and enjoyable to build your own Lego creations with the "generic" Lego pieces, rather than these kits that have a lot of specially made parts. Similarly, using a 3D model and a computer prorgram to convert ilthe model into Legos also feels like "cheating" to me. I feel it stimulates creativity and ingenuity more than a kit with directions.
I suppose you could also argue, "why would someone want to buy a pre-made plastic model kit when you can just scratch build one yourself?"
ggriffaw
Sr Member
I agree that Lego making custom parts for a particular Lego set to look right is kind of like cheating. Part of the fun with Lego is to make something interesting out of a pile of generic bricks.
I understand when the set is fairly small, it could look too blocky and probably more importantly there wouldn't be as much incentive to buy the specific set without the special parts.
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I understand when the set is fairly small, it could look too blocky and probably more importantly there wouldn't be as much incentive to buy the specific set without the special parts.
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JFB64
Well-Known Member
The answer to this question is the same answer to the question, why build a Bandai model of the MF, or why build your favorite prop, or support a sports team, or write, or paint, or ect. To get kind of zen about it, if you have to ask that question the you will never truly know the answer.
Dedalus5550
Sr Member
A lot of it is the Lego enthusiast. The kid who really gets into Lego and gets a whole lot of sets likes to push the envelope. If his/her parents can afford it, or if there are enough lawns in the neighborhood to mow, he/she can get something like this ultimate beast. And whether or not he or she (or the parents) can afford it can be affected by how much passion there is.
And then there are adults who grew up with Lego. It's in their blood. They don't keep building, probably, but when something like this comes along, especially if they are sci-fi/SW fanatics, they at least get tempted. That's me, and I'm sure there are others. I'm quite tempted, just like I'm tempted to get the snowspeeder. I don't quite have space and the disposable income to justify it, but it's close.
I guess there are also collectors (people who won't even build it, perhaps) and speculators--the earlier version of this kit hit some pretty high prices on ebay.
Lego knows they will only sell a certain amount of these kits because there are only a certain amount of people who fit the categories above. Lego is fine with that.
And then there are adults who grew up with Lego. It's in their blood. They don't keep building, probably, but when something like this comes along, especially if they are sci-fi/SW fanatics, they at least get tempted. That's me, and I'm sure there are others. I'm quite tempted, just like I'm tempted to get the snowspeeder. I don't quite have space and the disposable income to justify it, but it's close.
I guess there are also collectors (people who won't even build it, perhaps) and speculators--the earlier version of this kit hit some pretty high prices on ebay.
Lego knows they will only sell a certain amount of these kits because there are only a certain amount of people who fit the categories above. Lego is fine with that.
I wouldn't pay it, but I get it.
Lego sets are priced on the number of bricks, plus what people are willing to pay. This seems to have hit the right spot with its market. With a lego kit, you're guaranteed to get what's on the box and it keeps resale value. Not quite the same with most model kits.
Lego sets are priced on the number of bricks, plus what people are willing to pay. This seems to have hit the right spot with its market. With a lego kit, you're guaranteed to get what's on the box and it keeps resale value. Not quite the same with most model kits.
Strikerkc
Sr Member
People, buy all kinds of things other folks don't want, or understand. People spend thousands of dollars on fishing equipment. Thousands on aesthetic changes to their cars, or their stereos, or both. Hundreds on D&D books, or WOW subscriptions. Thousands on Boats, or personal aircraft. Hundreds a month on Television Sports Network subscriptions. Hundreds or thousands on costumes (originals and reproductions) and props. Hundreds or thousands on high quality ultra realistic Bandai models.
So a question like "does the kit really cost near that much to make?" or "how accurate are they when it's all said and done?" or "How long does it take to make, is it cheaper amusement per hour than seeing a movie?" would make sense to me.
Your question was not a question. It was a statement. and that Statement was "I don't like the way other people are having fun". Which frankly has no place on a forum like the RPF, where we discuss acquiring and building things that practically all the rest of the world would consider silly, or downright irresponsibly wasteful.
So a question like "does the kit really cost near that much to make?" or "how accurate are they when it's all said and done?" or "How long does it take to make, is it cheaper amusement per hour than seeing a movie?" would make sense to me.
Your question was not a question. It was a statement. and that Statement was "I don't like the way other people are having fun". Which frankly has no place on a forum like the RPF, where we discuss acquiring and building things that practically all the rest of the world would consider silly, or downright irresponsibly wasteful.
