I think that the richness in detail is overall a good thing, what we require is cheaper-priced sets. I think right now the level of detail on the torso prints is hitting that perfect spot between charmingly simplistic and richly detailed.
I’d argue that’s it’s not that new castles are “too detailed” and it’s driving kids away. I’d argue it’s the other way around. Lego seems to think that kids don’t like castle which is why they are only releasing these big bulky sets that are hyper detailed and hard to build. They are targeting adults, not kids
It's really a chicken and egg argument, isn't it? If Lego never makes 8+ style sets again and only releases 18+ sets that cost hundreds, they've created a self-fulfilling prophecy. I agree that they should make another effort to connect with kids. The 2013 series was a decade ago, there's a whole new generation with no Castle
@@BB2O2the problem is to LEGO the last attempt they made to connect with kids was in 2016 which I hate to say was Nexo Knights. It was LEGO trying to sell castle to kids with a new twist. And it crashed and burned. Now this was probably because no one wanted space knights lol but to LEGO they thought this meant kids didn’t want castle. So now they’re not going to try for a long time
@@brickheadz2865 It's goofy that they thought knights in spacesuits meant that no one wanted regular knights...they're two entirely different concepts! That doesn't count in my book, even though I liked Nexo. European kids are raised on knights and castles, I can't believe that Lego, a Danish brand, thinks it won't sell
I think the Lion Knight's Castle was the perfect homage to the OG Castle series. While it uses modern building techniques and pieces, it never goes too overboard in its design in my eyes. It fits right in with all the old castle sets (I own most of them and the new one doesn't look out of place in the middle of all of them.) It has realatively flat grey walls without much clutter and generally a clean LEGO-like look. The Blacksmith Shop is a different kind of beast. While it is undoubtably a great model, it doesn't really fit with classic castle sets. I mean it doesn't even fit with the Lion knights Castle. That is mainly due to its size. The house dwarfs most older castles and is best displayed on its own rather than with other Castle Sets. All in all I love both sets, however the Lion Knights Castle is imo better because it fits with the old sets and is therefore my favourite modern LEGO set. I also think it is quite charming, especially that the sleeping quarters for the queen has a little toy version of the yellow castle for her son. I might be shilling over this castle over and over, but I really think it is among LEGOs strongest outings ever since the classic era ended (nothing quite matches the OGs)
Correct, you cannot compare the Blacksmith set with other castle sets because it's in a completely different scale, more akin to minifig scale. That's actually one of the biggest reasons I love that set so much.
I 100% agree with the diminishing returns re: the surprising amount of new heads, but at the same time, the surprising amount of new small pieces provide so many opportunities in creating details that I personally enjoy. This is because of my perception of how 'useful' the smaller parts are when compared how heads are still only heads
Thanks for the comment! I agree that the new pieces are more versatile for sure. You can build a wider variety of things from just what's in the box than you used to be able to
Personally I enjoy the big new sets as an adult building Lego but as a fan of a few Lego themes it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify buying these sets. Having to choose between Lion Knights Castle, Gringotts from HP and Rivendell from LOTR is such a shame that to buy all three would be ludicrously expensive. I still enjoy the old sets so I would rather have a full range of sets in castle ranging from entry level pricing all the way up to the larger castle. The Hogwarts modular builds show that it is still possible to make a range that goes together but can be enjoyed alone too.
I prefer the style of late 80s and early 90s castles. The Lion Knights Castle is a great set but the walls are too detailed for my liking and the same goes for the roof.
I share an appreciation for the more classically styled Lego aesthetic. When it comes to MOCs, I want to create more buildings inspired by the Lion Knight’s Castle that will fit nicely into the setting, however, my building skills are not that of the most advanced designers employed by Lego, and though I am improving by studying the modern techniques, I can’t help but feel that my Mocs just aren’t good enough to stand next to the current castle sets. In the inspiration catalogs of the 80s and 90s, it was relatively easy for a child or teenager to craft something akin to what was depicted in the actual sets due to the abundance of wall panels and other specialized pieces which contributed strongly to the aesthetic.
i think lego just needs to make a castle theme in general. Having these bigger sets is nice and at least we are getting some new castle stuff but my issue isn't the detail of these newer sets its the fact that i can't just go out to a store and buy some cheap sets and build them or get some battle packs. lego really needs to consider bringing back a castle theme because i think it would do really well. I grew up on the fantsy era of castle as well as kingdoms and the last castle theme they did and i really miss it. I miss the days of being able to go to the store and look at all the castle sets i couldn't get and now being an adult i wish we could be back in that era. Now all we can hope for is CMFs and the huge sets that they bring out, which i will buy, but would prefer to have many affordable sets drop throughout the year than just wait on two bigger more expensive sets. Lego has put themselves in a bit of a weird spot because they think that kids don't like lego castle so they only make 18+ sets that are hard to build for younger kids. They started this cycle and the only way to end it is to just make another theme and see how it goes. The last line of sets they did was a decade ago, thats a whole generation of kids growing up without lego castle so no wonder no kids would get it, they havent grown up with it!
I grew up on late 80s castle, especially the Black Knight's Castle and the Forestmen sets. As a kid I loved the big prefab wall pieces but now I like something a little more detailed. I also find that the molded baseplates can hinder creativity. I thought the late 90s-early 2000s went way to far with molded wall pieces. I think the Creator 3-in-1 Castle is a nice middleground; it uses a lot of 4x1x4 plates but combines them with smaller bricks effectively. The more detailed sets work better as show-pieces.
I think its absolutely amazing that they are jammed packed with detail. I dont think i would have gotten back into lego if it wasnt for that. That said i think some smaller sets are needed for both kids and adults. I just think you don't need to sacrafice detail. Just different builds, cant afford a castle, heres a tower. Also i actually believe that kids will adapt or can ask for help. Never under estimate a kids ability to adapt
The ironic thing about detail is that adults might gravitate toward more detailed sets, but a guy's fingers will get big n chonky with age, where as a kid's smaller, more nimble fingers could navigate the 1x1 nightmare that is some sets (Not just castle sets) much better. Take the new Blacksmith shop. It took me (33M, 1 kid) at least two days to put together and almost broke a piece or two trying to jam all those tiles on. Plus that tree is not the most intuitive build, imo. Still beautiful and will be a centerpiece of my village when we can move to a bigger place. Sadly my Lion Knight's Castle is still in the box and hasn't seen the light of day yet 😢 90s Black Knights, Black Falcons, Forestmen are the soul of LEGO Castle for me, while the fantasy era and this latest batch seem to have the best construction. I love that it exists at all and I'm looking forward to whatever they put out next year. Very fun video, The Good Time Group are great guys and I humbly request more collaboration!
I personally really like detailed sets but I think we should get some cheaper less detailed sets aswell. For example a forest battle pack where it's knights vs forest Rangers or elves if they want to go more fantasy. A simple wagon, a small outpost, present farm etc. I think there is room for both detaild sets and more simplified sets
I don't think the Smith looks out of place I think it's more detailed but it just looks like a medieval village house that would have a castle at the center
I always enjoy more detailed builds. I appreciate the charm of older sets, but I'm glad LEGO has gone the more detailed route, not just in castle sets, but in most themes. The city sets nowadays are so much more detailed than in the vintage town sets.
It particularly annoys me when greebling is slapped on seemingly just to drive up the price (or to meet a required price point if it's a license). Thanks for watching!
I don’t agree at all with These Sad Time Bros. The more detail the better. Medieval Blacksmith got me totally back into Lego. I loved building it. But here’s the thing. After sitting on my shelf for a year and looking at it and then building some other things, I didn’t like it anymore… so I’m rebuilding it, redesigning it. 🤷♂️ the beauty of Lego!
second comment...sigh but i really do feel the need to say something on the charm topic...It sort of leads me into previous thoughts about how there are just so many different lego bricks now.. are there too many? som etimes i wonder. remember the three part chicken from, was that an idea book? red 1x2 with hole and two red 1x1 plates with clip?
Yeah, LEGO is in such a niche, they are tempted in so many directions: building block, model kit, action figure, novelty toy, even art form! Must be tough to stay true when you are so versatile! Keep the Good Times Poppin'!
You already know where I stand. Classic all the way. Lego has crated a real problem and is slipping deeper and deeper into overly detailed figures in their quest to make things ever more realistic. It’s gotten to the point that the yellow figures could be a thing of the past all together as we see the new CMF series is all flesh tone figures like their license counterparts. Striving for utter realism or perfect reflections of movie characters completely kills the charm of what Lego means to me. The whole draw of the toy was seeing something represented in a simple way that was recognizable both as Lego and as the thing it was representing. Now it’s only about how non-Lego can we design something, how many prints and sticker can we use to cover up the fact that it’s a blocky building toy. They have created this monster and they have no choice but to see it through, regardless of how may people would prefer a return to the basics.
I sure do know where you are on this! Agreed as usual. We're buying Lego sets for the builds, but they've started to treat the minifigures like action figures. This has been a gradual process ever since they phased out the classic smile, but it's at the point where it's a noticeably different product. God help us if we ever get to flesh tones for everything.
As someone who owns the original yellow castle (375/6075), the black monarchs castle (6085), and the new lion knights castle (10305). I like that Lego is adding more detail to these sets. I'd argue that the lion knights castle is not that outlandish in it's build techniques, minimal snot building compared to most new sets, and actually built with corners interlock for strength unlike some sets like the sanderson sisters cottage where the walls are all built separate and only joined at the top leading to extremely weak wall construction. The thing I don't like about the new sets which includes the lion knights castle is the departure from baseplates it makes it harder to incorporate these sets in to a larger layout. Also the other part about the lion knights castle I didn't like was the inclusion of the tall support piece used for the chimney, I rebuilt it using standard bricks to make this look better, and not trying to be sexist but I don't think there would be that many females as guards and knights, the Queen I could see as she is ruling the kingdom until her son (I assume the small noble kid is hers) comes of age, this was common in history. The blacksmith shop on the other hand is much more like a Lego MOC you would see at a show, very detailed but complicated, designed to look good but not with any play ability in mind. As for minifigure torsos and faces, I remember when the first custom printed faces came out with the debut of the pirate line, it was a welcome change from the standard smile face that had proceeded it. I also think that minifigure torsos having rear print now is nice. Same with the different heights of legs, Now it is easy to show different ages (child,teen,and adult) and add variety to builds. I think the biggest problem with modern Castle is there is not enough of it, we need a whole range of sets from the small wagons and outposts that we used to get to the big castles like the lion knights castle.
I think that the richness in detail is overall a good thing, what we require is cheaper-priced sets. I think right now the level of detail on the torso prints is hitting that perfect spot between charmingly simplistic and richly detailed.
Thank you so much for having us! You're a very gracious host!
Keep the Good Times Poppin'!
The Good Time Group
I appreciate you coming on!
I’d argue that’s it’s not that new castles are “too detailed” and it’s driving kids away. I’d argue it’s the other way around. Lego seems to think that kids don’t like castle which is why they are only releasing these big bulky sets that are hyper detailed and hard to build. They are targeting adults, not kids
It's really a chicken and egg argument, isn't it? If Lego never makes 8+ style sets again and only releases 18+ sets that cost hundreds, they've created a self-fulfilling prophecy. I agree that they should make another effort to connect with kids. The 2013 series was a decade ago, there's a whole new generation with no Castle
@@BB2O2the problem is to LEGO the last attempt they made to connect with kids was in 2016 which I hate to say was Nexo Knights. It was LEGO trying to sell castle to kids with a new twist. And it crashed and burned. Now this was probably because no one wanted space knights lol but to LEGO they thought this meant kids didn’t want castle. So now they’re not going to try for a long time
@@brickheadz2865 It's goofy that they thought knights in spacesuits meant that no one wanted regular knights...they're two entirely different concepts! That doesn't count in my book, even though I liked Nexo. European kids are raised on knights and castles, I can't believe that Lego, a Danish brand, thinks it won't sell
I think the Lion Knight's Castle was the perfect homage to the OG Castle series. While it uses modern building techniques and pieces, it never goes too overboard in its design in my eyes. It fits right in with all the old castle sets (I own most of them and the new one doesn't look out of place in the middle of all of them.) It has realatively flat grey walls without much clutter and generally a clean LEGO-like look.
The Blacksmith Shop is a different kind of beast. While it is undoubtably a great model, it doesn't really fit with classic castle sets. I mean it doesn't even fit with the Lion knights Castle. That is mainly due to its size. The house dwarfs most older castles and is best displayed on its own rather than with other Castle Sets.
All in all I love both sets, however the Lion Knights Castle is imo better because it fits with the old sets and is therefore my favourite modern LEGO set. I also think it is quite charming, especially that the sleeping quarters for the queen has a little toy version of the yellow castle for her son. I might be shilling over this castle over and over, but I really think it is among LEGOs strongest outings ever since the classic era ended (nothing quite matches the OGs)
Correct, you cannot compare the Blacksmith set with other castle sets because it's in a completely different scale, more akin to minifig scale. That's actually one of the biggest reasons I love that set so much.
I 100% agree with the diminishing returns re: the surprising amount of new heads, but at the same time, the surprising amount of new small pieces provide so many opportunities in creating details that I personally enjoy. This is because of my perception of how 'useful' the smaller parts are when compared how heads are still only heads
Thanks for the comment! I agree that the new pieces are more versatile for sure. You can build a wider variety of things from just what's in the box than you used to be able to
The irony of the uber-complicated chair builds used in this video is hilarious, great video.
Haha thank you! Glad you enjoyed it
Personally I enjoy the big new sets as an adult building Lego but as a fan of a few Lego themes it is becoming increasingly difficult to justify buying these sets. Having to choose between Lion Knights Castle, Gringotts from HP and Rivendell from LOTR is such a shame that to buy all three would be ludicrously expensive. I still enjoy the old sets so I would rather have a full range of sets in castle ranging from entry level pricing all the way up to the larger castle. The Hogwarts modular builds show that it is still possible to make a range that goes together but can be enjoyed alone too.
I prefer the style of late 80s and early 90s castles. The Lion Knights Castle is a great set but the walls are too detailed for my liking and the same goes for the roof.
I share an appreciation for the more classically styled Lego aesthetic. When it comes to MOCs, I want to create more buildings inspired by the Lion Knight’s Castle that will fit nicely into the setting, however, my building skills are not that of the most advanced designers employed by Lego, and though I am improving by studying the modern techniques, I can’t help but feel that my Mocs just aren’t good enough to stand next to the current castle sets. In the inspiration catalogs of the 80s and 90s, it was relatively easy for a child or teenager to craft something akin to what was depicted in the actual sets due to the abundance of wall panels and other specialized pieces which contributed strongly to the aesthetic.
i think lego just needs to make a castle theme in general. Having these bigger sets is nice and at least we are getting some new castle stuff but my issue isn't the detail of these newer sets its the fact that i can't just go out to a store and buy some cheap sets and build them or get some battle packs. lego really needs to consider bringing back a castle theme because i think it would do really well. I grew up on the fantsy era of castle as well as kingdoms and the last castle theme they did and i really miss it. I miss the days of being able to go to the store and look at all the castle sets i couldn't get and now being an adult i wish we could be back in that era. Now all we can hope for is CMFs and the huge sets that they bring out, which i will buy, but would prefer to have many affordable sets drop throughout the year than just wait on two bigger more expensive sets. Lego has put themselves in a bit of a weird spot because they think that kids don't like lego castle so they only make 18+ sets that are hard to build for younger kids. They started this cycle and the only way to end it is to just make another theme and see how it goes. The last line of sets they did was a decade ago, thats a whole generation of kids growing up without lego castle so no wonder no kids would get it, they havent grown up with it!
I grew up on late 80s castle, especially the Black Knight's Castle and the Forestmen sets. As a kid I loved the big prefab wall pieces but now I like something a little more detailed. I also find that the molded baseplates can hinder creativity. I thought the late 90s-early 2000s went way to far with molded wall pieces. I think the Creator 3-in-1 Castle is a nice middleground; it uses a lot of 4x1x4 plates but combines them with smaller bricks effectively. The more detailed sets work better as show-pieces.
my thought on the topic is that details is great, and not every set needs to be rediculously brain meltingly detailed!
I think its absolutely amazing that they are jammed packed with detail. I dont think i would have gotten back into lego if it wasnt for that. That said i think some smaller sets are needed for both kids and adults. I just think you don't need to sacrafice detail. Just different builds, cant afford a castle, heres a tower. Also i actually believe that kids will adapt or can ask for help. Never under estimate a kids ability to adapt
The ironic thing about detail is that adults might gravitate toward more detailed sets, but a guy's fingers will get big n chonky with age, where as a kid's smaller, more nimble fingers could navigate the 1x1 nightmare that is some sets (Not just castle sets) much better. Take the new Blacksmith shop. It took me (33M, 1 kid) at least two days to put together and almost broke a piece or two trying to jam all those tiles on. Plus that tree is not the most intuitive build, imo. Still beautiful and will be a centerpiece of my village when we can move to a bigger place. Sadly my Lion Knight's Castle is still in the box and hasn't seen the light of day yet 😢
90s Black Knights, Black Falcons, Forestmen are the soul of LEGO Castle for me, while the fantasy era and this latest batch seem to have the best construction. I love that it exists at all and I'm looking forward to whatever they put out next year. Very fun video, The Good Time Group are great guys and I humbly request more collaboration!
I personally really like detailed sets but I think we should get some cheaper less detailed sets aswell. For example a forest battle pack where it's knights vs forest Rangers or elves if they want to go more fantasy. A simple wagon, a small outpost, present farm etc. I think there is room for both detaild sets and more simplified sets
The black smiths work shop is way more detailed then the lions knight castle.
I think the castle is cool, the smiths looks out of place.
I don't think the Smith looks out of place I think it's more detailed but it just looks like a medieval village house that would have a castle at the center
I always enjoy more detailed builds. I appreciate the charm of older sets, but I'm glad LEGO has gone the more detailed route, not just in castle sets, but in most themes. The city sets nowadays are so much more detailed than in the vintage town sets.
And the friends sets are much more detailed then lego city 😂
I agree overall. Lego can be simplified slightly while still containing most features. Many sets are over greebled for no good reason.
It particularly annoys me when greebling is slapped on seemingly just to drive up the price (or to meet a required price point if it's a license). Thanks for watching!
I don’t agree at all with These Sad Time Bros. The more detail the better. Medieval Blacksmith got me totally back into Lego. I loved building it. But here’s the thing. After sitting on my shelf for a year and looking at it and then building some other things, I didn’t like it anymore… so I’m rebuilding it, redesigning it. 🤷♂️ the beauty of Lego!
second comment...sigh but i really do feel the need to say something on the charm topic...It sort of leads me into previous thoughts about how there are just so many different lego bricks now.. are there too many? som etimes i wonder. remember the three part chicken from, was that an idea book? red 1x2 with hole and two red 1x1 plates with clip?
Yeah, LEGO is in such a niche, they are tempted in so many directions: building block, model kit, action figure, novelty toy, even art form!
Must be tough to stay true when you are so versatile!
Keep the Good Times Poppin'!
Maybe that is why it is 18plus? That musical is a bit scary for children.
You already know where I stand. Classic all the way.
Lego has crated a real problem and is slipping deeper and deeper into overly detailed figures in their quest to make things ever more realistic.
It’s gotten to the point that the yellow figures could be a thing of the past all together as we see the new CMF series is all flesh tone figures like their license counterparts.
Striving for utter realism or perfect reflections of movie characters completely kills the charm of what Lego means to me. The whole draw of the toy was seeing something represented in a simple way that was recognizable both as Lego and as the thing it was representing.
Now it’s only about how non-Lego can we design something, how many prints and sticker can we use to cover up the fact that it’s a blocky building toy.
They have created this monster and they have no choice but to see it through, regardless of how may people would prefer a return to the basics.
I sure do know where you are on this! Agreed as usual. We're buying Lego sets for the builds, but they've started to treat the minifigures like action figures. This has been a gradual process ever since they phased out the classic smile, but it's at the point where it's a noticeably different product. God help us if we ever get to flesh tones for everything.
As someone who owns the original yellow castle (375/6075), the black monarchs castle (6085), and the new lion knights castle (10305). I like that Lego is adding more detail to these sets. I'd argue that the lion knights castle is not that outlandish in it's build techniques, minimal snot building compared to most new sets, and actually built with corners interlock for strength unlike some sets like the sanderson sisters cottage where the walls are all built separate and only joined at the top leading to extremely weak wall construction. The thing I don't like about the new sets which includes the lion knights castle is the departure from baseplates it makes it harder to incorporate these sets in to a larger layout. Also the other part about the lion knights castle I didn't like was the inclusion of the tall support piece used for the chimney, I rebuilt it using standard bricks to make this look better, and not trying to be sexist but I don't think there would be that many females as guards and knights, the Queen I could see as she is ruling the kingdom until her son (I assume the small noble kid is hers) comes of age, this was common in history.
The blacksmith shop on the other hand is much more like a Lego MOC you would see at a show, very detailed but complicated, designed to look good but not with any play ability in mind.
As for minifigure torsos and faces, I remember when the first custom printed faces came out with the debut of the pirate line, it was a welcome change from the standard smile face that had proceeded it. I also think that minifigure torsos having rear print now is nice. Same with the different heights of legs, Now it is easy to show different ages (child,teen,and adult) and add variety to builds.
I think the biggest problem with modern Castle is there is not enough of it, we need a whole range of sets from the small wagons and outposts that we used to get to the big castles like the lion knights castle.
I agree. The inclusion of females as knights is ridiculous for a castle theme. Those girls would be worn out carrying armor for 5 minutes LOL