Farm related sets

Glencaer · Post by **Glencaer** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:17 pm

A friend of mine and I were chatting earlier today about differences between Europe and America. Specifically we were talking about how European kids play differently than Americans kids, and even more specifically about how successful a farm based LEGO series would be, if sold in America. Typical thought would say that Europeans would love farm related sets, while Americans want something with more pizazz, like race cars or military sets.

What do you think? Would you buy farm related sets?

Personally I would love to get me some minifig scale pigs, sheep, cows, chickens, etc. But also, what about other scales - like Technic? UCS/Model Team? Designer?

-Lenny

Murgen · Post by **Murgen** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:29 pm

I would love to see minifig scale farms, for three reasons:

1) Lego should always offer non-violent play alternatives. That is a mission I have seen the company get away from in recent years.

2) A farm could be truly cross-genre. City, castle, Harry Potter, and with a few modifications Exo-force and star Wars, all could use farm sets.

3) It has enough depth to create small models (e.g. a scarecrow and wheelbarrow) to large ones (e.g. an entire barn with animals).

Post by **Athos** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 8:41 pm

I would love a farm line. Even more so that Star Wars, Harry Potter and Batman. Maybe not more (though given the recent offerings...) than Castle, though it would certainly have great cross over potential, and certainly not more than Adventurers.

I think it would be a huge hit across "middle America" and other rural agriculture areas. Think how popular John Deere merchandise is...

And it'd be cost effective too, as the only really new parts/molds needed would be the critters.

Steve, just a country boy gettin' down on the farm

Peppermint Pig · Post by **Peppermint Pig** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 10:19 pm

Technic has tractors. Construction has tractors. Why not?! Bring on the farms! I want water towers and silo parts (compatible with SW, Space). Horses in new colors, Cows, Sheep. Chicken/Egg farm

Modesty · Post by **Modesty** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:21 pm

I think farms would be awesome.
Tons of lego buildings, and animals.

Post by **SavaTheAggie** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:47 pm

I would buy farm sets very quickly, but only for the animals, and probably not the entire series, so I would not help LEGO out in that regard. I think, unfortunately for us, though, the American parent's mind set would be to buy a Duplo farm set over a System farm set, due to the perceived age limit on the play value of such sets.

And I wouldn't buy a Duplo farm set (for myself, anyway).

--Anthony

Post by **Formendacil** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:55 pm

Glencaer wrote:A friend of mine and I were chatting earlier today about differences between Europe and America. Specifically we were talking about how European kids play differently than Americans kids, and even more specifically about how successful a farm based LEGO series would be, if sold in America. Typical thought would say that Europeans would love farm related sets, while Americans want something with more pizazz, like race cars or military sets.

Europeans would like it more?

Odd... I'd have said that it would appeal more to the North American crowd, but that could just be the prairie boy in me talking.

And speaking the prairie boy, I'd love a farm line- and not just to part out to the Castle folk (although they'd be eager recipients). I'd also love to try and portray some of my less distant ancestors. My mom was a farmgirl, for Heaven's sake!

Post by **Athos** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:55 am

I would buy farm sets very quickly, but only for the animals, and probably not the entire series,

What if you had to buy each set to get the animal?

Here's how I'd see the set breakdown:

$10 set = Duck pond (Child farmer and two ducks)
$10 set = Chicken coop (Child farmer and Two Chickens)
$15 set = Sheep Shearing (Adult farmer, with brush and Two Sheep)
$20 set = Pig sty (Adult farmer with bucket and shovel and Two Pigs)
$30 set = Field (Corn field, cow, tractor, and a couple farmers)
$50 set = Silo (Corn field, windmill, silo, pig and cow in different color)
$75 set = Barn (One of each of the aforementioned animals in new colors, family of farmers, tools and tractor)

Steve

smcginnis · Post by **smcginnis** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 3:10 am

I would probably buy a few, and so would my sister. Playmobil makes a fairly successful farm line (at least I think it's successful), so why shouldn't LEGO?

Murgen wrote:e.g. a scarecrow and wheelbarrow

I hope that they're brick-built

.

~smcginnis

Post by **JoshWedin** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 4:19 am

I would definitely buy farm sets, more animals are always welcome. Of course I am sort of biased, after all I live on a farm.

Josh

Dunechaser · Post by **Dunechaser** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:19 am

Most excellent suggestion, Lenny!

Athos wrote:Here's how I'd see the set breakdown:

$10 set = Duck pond (Child farmer and two ducks)
$10 set = Chicken coop (Child farmer and Two Chickens)
$15 set = Sheep Shearing (Adult farmer, with brush and Two Sheep)
$20 set = Pig sty (Adult farmer with bucket and shovel and Two Pigs)
$30 set = Field (Corn field, cow, tractor, and a couple farmers)
$50 set = Silo (Corn field, windmill, silo, pig and cow in different color)
$75 set = Barn (One of each of the aforementioned animals in new colors, family of farmers, tools and tractor)

That is too cool!!! I'd totally buy the $75 set.

Post by **Bruce N H** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:35 am

Hey,

I think this would be a great sub-theme of town. The train guys would certainly buy a ton of these. Also, of course, any animals would be really useful to us castle guys.

Back in the two years of the short-lived Wild West theme, I really thought they should add a third year based on civilian sets (old west train station, cattle drive, settlers' covered wagon, and farmstead). One of the benefits I saw with this would be a cow piece (essentially the horse body with a different head), which would be useful in town, castle, train themes as well.

BTW, did you all see Mister Zumbi's farm?

Bruce

Blueandwhite · Post by **Blueandwhite** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 5:46 am

I think it would be a great line, though I'm not sure how well it would go over with children. Of course, the downside to this is that we wouldn't see as many wonderful brick-built animals floating around brickshelf. Alot of the brick-based solutions for farm animals are as good, if not better than any pre-molded animal could ever hope to be.

Later.

wunztwice · Post by **wunztwice** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 7:26 am

Murgen wrote:I would love to see minifig scale farms, for three reasons:

1) Lego should always offer non-violent play alternatives. That is a mission I have seen the company get away from in recent years.

2) A farm could be truly cross-genre. City, castle, Harry Potter, and with a few modifications Exo-force and star Wars, all could use farm sets.

3) It has enough depth to create small models (e.g. a scarecrow and wheelbarrow) to large ones (e.g. an entire barn with animals).

These are all great reasons! I agree with all of it. Farm would probably do well in America, I have seen the playmobil farm stuff do well here.

I would really like to see some of the possibilities. Just think...A farmhouse! it seems awsome to me! maybe a tire swing out front, a dog house, a chicken roost, could even include an outhouse for cross-time-period-ization! A great idea!

Dopefish · Post by **Dopefish** » Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:29 pm

Only problem is, Lego would probably include, like, a cow catapult, and an outhouse rocket.

Classic-Castle.com

Farm related sets

Farm related sets

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