Black Knight

Discussion of official LEGO Castle Theme sets and products
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legodude101
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Black Knight

Post by legodude101 »

This set is great.It's got pieces that you can use to build a big army.I feel sorry for myself for not having this set.But i have two of those breastplates.One came from a gate and i don't know where the other came from.
So i'm lucky and i've got two of the helmets from this set.
:twisted:

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Post by Jedipawn »

one word, Bricklink. I just hope and pray that they make a simular set soon!!!!!

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wlister
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Post by wlister »

We can hope,

I am fortunate to have a few of this set, but I would feel more fortunate if I had many, many more, an armored, well-armed knight with a horse will never lose popularity with rabid army builders like myself. Bricklink is a tough market for these types of sets and to get the euro armor in decent quantities. If TLC is listening, please consider this set as a re-release, it may not have Legend status, but I could see sales for it being through the roof.

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JPinoy
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Post by JPinoy »

We have a new "Black Knight" set, 8777. But this time with a fully armored horse, and rider + the purple knight as his opponent. That should be around a $10.00 set.

Hopefully... perhaps they can do a mounted version of each knight into a set. The question is should it be barding or a simple saddle. Light Blue saddle would be.... gae. Purple saddle, imo again has its uses (Harappa - Ancient Inda faction), the rest red and green are ok.
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wlister
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Post by wlister »

That my friend is not a "Black Knight" set. It is a mockery of a black knight set. That purple knight is awful and if it is why the price point will be higer, TLC should never have packaged the two knights together. If it is in fact a $10.00 set, I will definitely not purchase any until they hit some kind of sale. Living here in Canada means that it will be a $15.00 set. $15.00 for two knights and a horse is a rip off by any standard.

The Black Knight was a $3.00 set in Canadian dollars when it was available at retail. Say what you will about Megabloks, but for $15.00 I can buy two tins of Vorgans. That is 6 fully armed figs. If TLC wants to compete they are going to need to not only improve set quality, but they need to be more affordable.

Now I may be willing to wait for a sale so that I can buy "Lego Knights", but the moms and dads who are the biggest purchasing group for building toys, they will not wait. They will be saying to themselves I can buy two soldiers for little Timmy or I can buy 6 of these soldiers for the same price. To the general buying public, the difference between Megabloks and Lego is minimal.

We can't sway their opinions buy saying the "oh the plastic quality isn't there or they are just a rip-off clone brand." The general public doesn't care. Will the toys last the 3-5 years that their kids will play with them, Yes. That is the bottom line kids will play with them for the same amount of time they will Lego, in fact the big Dragon Fortess, whatever the name was; outscored even the vaunted Bionical line in terms of playability on all the big "Toy Tests" this year. Parents will save money, their kids want these "clone" brands more anyway and in the end TLC loses more and more potential customers.

I am not happy about it, I would love to see TLC compete with Megabloks, but the truth is they can't with their current business model. They may have the purchasing loyalty of AFOLs, but the general public is slowly turning away.

If sets like 8777 continue to be produced at high price points, we could well be watching the demise of our favored brick. That said I hope this set does come out at a decent price point, I have high hopes that TLC will take a more aggressive stance and try to actually compete. We can hope, but I'll not be holding my breath.

So no my friend this set is not a "Black Knight" set, let us not forget that Lego used to be a quality product at reasonable prices.

Will
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TwoTonic Knight
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Post by TwoTonic Knight »

Prices always go up as costs go up, but honestly I do not see this as a $10.00 set. I think people should save the hysterics until they actually see the price. My own speculation was $5 to $8. It should be five based on past products (the "chrome" sets were generally more substantial and cost five for example), but the usualy price creep may happen. I can't say that I see any Lego sets that cost 10 dollars that 8777 is equal to, so I sincerely doubt it.
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Post by Jedipawn »

Do we know an approxamit (man I cant spell) release date for the rainbow sets yet?

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wlister
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Post by wlister »

They should be gracing our store shelves sometime in July. Much the same timeline as the new re-designed Millennium Falcon. Harry Potter is slated for an early April release at TRU here in Canada, it could be earlier in the US. Hope that helps.

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wlister
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Post by wlister »

TwoTonic Knight wrote:Prices always go up as costs go up, but honestly I do not see this as a $10.00 set. I think people should save the hysterics until they actually see the price. -> Snipped <- I can't say that I see any Lego sets that cost 10 dollars that 8777 is equal to, so I sincerely doubt it.
I was hardly being hysterical and there are in fact a few sets out right now that would suggest that this set could easily be a $10.00 set. Set #4720 Quality Quidditch Supplies was a $10.00 set. One minifig, a few basic parts. 3535 Skateboard Street Park was also a $10.00 set also one minifig and aside from a few tiles, a few very basic parts. Substitute the parts for a horse, a barding and another minifig and voila a $10.00 set.

So there is a history of small sets in the recent past being overpriced. So the idea that this set could be a $10.00 set is not entirely without merit.

I must also say that I did in fact say that I would wait for the sets to be released before posting final judgement, but probably the real reason the post came off as a bit emotional was the comparison of the Black Knight #6009 to the 8777. There is just no comparison to me, the black knight was a higher quality set at very likely a much better price.

The biggest complaint I hear about Lego is about price. Many parents can still remember when Lego was an affordable toy. Parents I saw this year when I was doing my shopping would settle for smaller sets or leave Lego entirely when they were purchasing toys. Megabloks had better pricing, better advertising and sadly better set design. And now they have more shelf space too...

So hysterical I am not, but concerned about the road TLC is taking I am.

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Ye Olde Republic
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re

Post by Ye Olde Republic »

So hysterical I am not, but concerned about the road TLC is taking I am.
Ah Will, so Yoda-esque.;)
Three years ago I worked at a TRU over the Christmas season in the LEGO aisle and witnessed this firsthand. That was before MB had castle sets and KK was choking the shelves. I talked to quite a few people who came in to buy an Adventurers set or King Leo's caslte and especially the hottest toy of the year, Championship Challenge, what I heard from these people disturbed me. They would tell me LEGO is too pricey and ask about MegaBloks. :? Being an AFOL, I did manage to convince quite a few people to buy our brand but lots did slip through my grasp.

NOW I walk into my TRU and count shelf space. MB has seven shelf sections to LEGO's nine sections. I feel I should also mention that three of the LEGO shelves contain DUPLO and For Juniors item.

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Kev
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Lego vs. Megablocks.

Post by Kev »

I think Lego was really taken aback by how popular the MB Castle line has been. It was really inevitable because of two things. When Lego pulled its Castle line a few years back, it left a real void in retail of the 20-year classic toy the "Lego Castle" I've heard on more than one occasion, parents discussing presents for children in the toy aisle and mentioning a "Lego Castle," only to not find one. Major mistake. So when MB filled that void, it's not surprising it took off. Not only that, but they did it with an excellent and attractive product in all the important categories: Lots of knights, looks very cool and medievally, and is reasonably priced.

Looking at the new Lego sets, I feel that they are really only responding to their first mistake - pulling the Castle line. They shot themselves in the foot by opening the door for MB, who were only filling a gap that retailers new existed and wanted filled, but also doing it with a licensed product that ended up not performing to expectations last year - Harry Potter.

For all the colors, I think they would have been better off to differentiate their sets from MB by doing something more like a series of modular sets in the $15-$30 range, each consisting of, say, a different style tower or wall section or keep, and also each with a cool, different beast or theme: Merlin's (round) Tower, Wall Section w/dragon, Hippogriff w/square tower, Square tower with catapult, wall section with armorer's and blacksmith's shops, etc. Then of course you'd also have a big Keep with the King and Queen, etc. They could also have themed it better - tone down the colorful knights a bit, and call the the Knights of the Round Table or something instead of basing it off this bionicle thing. Instead, they are merely picking up where they left off by making King Leo more fantastical, and I'm sure sales for these will be just as soft as for King Leo 1.

Right now I can't imagine how these sets will beat MB Castle. The one thing they had going for them - historically accurate figs and weapons, they seem to be playing down. If they can compete, it will be by corporate reputation only, because no kid or teen would really look at the two series and choose Lego.

Oh, and about the Black Knight. I agree that I hope Lego chooses this or some other set which featured the classic armor and visor for its next Legend. From the looks of King Leo 2, they owe it to us!!!!
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David Girard
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Post by David Girard »

I'm totally agree with you Kev. You explain very well why MB took the market and succeed. Lego is responsible of this.

Imagine if MB had tried to put MB castle in 1990, at the place of recently. MB must had failed, because Lego Castle was very strong in 1990. Now they have the market for them.

When Lego stopped making castle they let the market to MB and now they try to reconquer the market. I don't know if they will succeed but, I think they could try harder than this.
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