General LEGO Dimensions

[Jimbob]

Pricing guide where I call out some horrendous discrepancies.

I reckon Amazon has deliberately overshot it, as they have a guarantee on their pre-orders where if the price goes down after you've placed an order you are refunded the difference. Obviously they can't charge less initially and then increase it should the price go up upon release, so it's safer to just aim high.

[Zeb]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Avideogames%2Ck%3Awarner+bros.+interactive+entertainment+lego+dimensions&keywords=warner+bros.+interactive+entertainment+lego+dimensions&ie=UTF8&qid=1428600811

15 quid for just one of the small fun packs? Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft

If you consider a minfig $5, a vehicle another $5, and add $5 for the technology/royalties/whatever, then it makes sense compared to the Infinity characters who are $10 and come with nothing. Not sure about Euros or Pounds, though.

 

Also, the Ninjago Team Pack with Kai, Cole, and their vehicles is only $25. If Kai & Cole were separate, they would cost a total of $30. So since they're in the same pack, you save $5.

 

That makes the BTTF Level Pack the worst deal, because the minifig + 2 vehicles + technology factor = $20, and the pack costs $30. That means the BTTF level/world is worth $10. Can't remember the Infinity pricing on the playset worlds at the moment, so I'm not sure how it compares to that.

 

In comparison to Disney Infinity stuff, the Lego Dimensions pricing is actually reasonable. The problem is that the pricing on toys-to-life games in general is expensive. I'll probably wait for Black Friday deals or generic sales of something that so I can get these for cheap(er/ish).

 

EDIT: Yep, the Disney Infinity equivalent to the Level Packs are the same price.

[aidenpons]

I"m going to grab the ShoutBox Archive as I ranted a lot about it, and what has been revealed hasn't changed my opinion much.

 

@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:28 PM) I don't know what to think of it, to be honest.
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:28 PM) I would have thought it's marketing for TLM2, but surely it's a bit early?
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:28 PM) I'm possibly thinking Lego is expanding its Ideas interface:

*time passes, concept is explained by Ayliffe*

@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) +5 MARKETING
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) in all sincerity I really hope Lego is not doing that
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) NOT
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) because it is a bad idea
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) it is in fact quite a good idea
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) BUT
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) the whole thing will be done by TT
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) full of bugs
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:46 PM) glictches and crashes
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:47 PM) and points where you can't even complete what you're supposed to
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:47 PM) and fussy controls (REALLY FUSSY)
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:47 PM) and a general thing that every character is useless
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:47 PM) and the ones you get just make it harder to find the good ones
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:47 PM) with actual vaguely special abilities
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:48 PM) except you only get them at the very very end
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:48 PM) and by that time you've given up
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:48 PM) because it crashed one twenty times too many
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:49 PM) take Lego The Hobbit
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:49 PM) NOT ONLY
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:49 PM) does it crash 80% of the time on the loading screen and 100% of the time in one level, as well as a 10% chance each second
@  aidenpons     :     (09 April 2015 - 09:50 PM) IT REMOVES MY DESKTOP BACKGROUND AS WELL

 

 

It's an interesting concept, but I have to wonder: must we buy the packs or can we simply just grab minifigures off the shelf? The price is understandable.... ish, Here's to hoping that the money goes towards bug-testing and new features, not WB's pockets. If this is bug-ful, then I will not be happy.

 

 

... and why no PC version?

[le717]

glictches... and points where you can't even complete what you're supposed to  and fussy controls (REALLY FUSSY) and a general thing that every character is useless

 

Are you sure you weren't referring to Racers 2?

[aidenpons]

 

glictches... and points where you can't even complete what you're supposed to  and fussy controls (REALLY FUSSY) and a general thing that every character is useless

 

Are you sure you weren't referring to Racers 2?

 

TBH I was really referring to pretty much every Lego game in existence with bugs, but particularly TT in character abilities and of course bugs.

 

Heck, I've bugged LR, we know RR crashes, LR2 has the infamous pine trees, IXS has fussy skateboarding that it never tells you how to use (and rubbish land vehicles as well as an OP helicopter), Chess is... not too bad, but it'll still spontaneously crash, LI2 with infamous load times and GOODSHOOTINGPEPPER, and of course we have LI, which was quite badly broken, to say the least.

And that's to say nothing of the removed material

 

TT has kept this trend so far, ever downwards, so I really hope that this is bug-free (though more so that a PC version is released

[BobaFett2]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/search/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Avideogames%2Ck%3Awarner+bros.+interactive+entertainment+lego+dimensions&keywords=warner+bros.+interactive+entertainment+lego+dimensions&ie=UTF8&qid=1428600811

15 quid for just one of the small fun packs? Pffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft

 

From what I can see, it looks like in-game content is tied directly to these packs (be it through codes or just specific parts), so the part and minifigure count will never be "good" if you're just buying it for pieces.

 

That said, the minifigures from these packs should go down in aftermarket price if they're reprints of ones in more expensive sets. Just get them on Bricklink or something.

 

 

Pricing guide where I call out some horrendous discrepancies.

 

If I remember correctly, TLG has been keeping US (and maybe Canadian?) prices artificially lower at the cost of raising them everywhere else. I don't know if this has changed much in the past few years.

 

It's pretty damn hilarious that they would charge more pounds for something than dollars, though.

[The Ace Railgun]

LEGO Dimensions looks pretty interesting in my opinion. I'll probably pick up a copy sometime down the road, and maybe i'll do a glitch run if there are loads of glitches

[rioforce]

I'm torn on this. I like the concept, though I think it could have been done better. I don't like how they are just making this a money grabber, where people have to buy the specially marked toys to get the minifigs in the game. I also dislike the huge number of licensed themes, this is like a licensed crossover extravaganza, not really a LEGO game. Of course, these are first impressions, they may change later.

[BobaFett2]

I'm torn on this. I like the concept, though I think it could have been done better. I don't like how they are just making this a money grabber, where people have to buy the specially marked toys to get the minifigs in the game. I also dislike the huge number of licensed themes, this is like a licensed crossover extravaganza, not really a LEGO game. Of course, these are first impressions, they may change later.

I'm torn on this. I like the concept, though I think it could have been done better. I don't like how they are just making this a money grabber, where people have to buy the specially marked toys to get the minifigs in the game. I also dislike the huge number of licensed themes, this is like a licensed crossover extravaganza, not really a LEGO game. Of course, these are first impressions, they may change later.

I'm torn on this

 

I'm torn on this. I like the concept, though I think it could have been done better. I don't like how they are just making this a money grabber, where people have to buy the specially marked toys to get the minifigs in the game. I also dislike the huge number of licensed themes, this is like a licensed crossover extravaganza, not really a LEGO game. Of course, these are first impressions, they may change later.

I'm torn on this. I like the concept, though I think it could have been done better. I don't like how they are just making this a money grabber, where people have to buy the specially marked toys to get the minifigs in the game. I also dislike the huge number of licensed themes, this is like a licensed crossover extravaganza, not really a LEGO game. Of course, these are first impressions, they may change later.

as well.

[aidenpons]

... I'd just like to take the time to say that this is going to be coded by TT.

 

I now have no interest in buying this.

 

 

I'd rather have no game than a completely bugged load of rubbish jammed together from previous bits that were just as buggy.

[Ben24x7]

Excuse me for being a moron (probably) but is this the idea that won the TT competition thing a while back?

[STUDZ]

... and why no PC version?

 

Oh please, for the love of .wad confirm a PC version. This is the first TT LEGO game I've actually looked forward to. I mean, they're throwing it on last-gen consoles (which are really becoming long in the tooth). Skylanders and Disney Infinity made a PC port for their games. Pretty much every OTHER multi-platform LEGO TT game has had a PC port...

 

Basically, PC port or riot. ༼ 㤠◕_◕ ༽㤠ヽ༼ຈل͜ຈ༽ﾉ

 

As for the licenses we've seen so far... I'm fairly impressed. TLM was no surprise, neither was DC (or possibly even Marvel down the road). Lord of The Rings is a pleasant welcome, although there likely won't be any new media from Tolkien's works any time soon after The Hobbit. Back To The Future was a genuine surprise. And a micro-scale DeLorean that looks just as choppy as the larger model! Now, The Wizard of Oz... That was totally left-field. Seeing as LEGO chose not to make an actual Ideas set for The Road to Oz, I didn't think there would be any involvement with the license (and frankly, I didn't lose much sleep over it). This came as a total shocker to me. I guess the devs and designers were huge fans of The Wizard of Oz...?

 

Anyway, I'd like to see where this goes for future updates and packs. the packs can probably get sales outside of the gamer demographic as toys, seeing as these packs serve a double purpose (I mean, buildable micro-scale sets AND exclusive minifigures??? Collectors will go nuts over these!).

 

But seriously, though. PC port. Rockstar is about to FINALLY release the PC port for GTA V, after almost 1 1/2 years. Time is no excuse. Budget is no excuse. There will be a PC port.

 

 â”Œà¼¼â—‰Ù„͟◉༽â”

[Jimbob]

... I'd just like to take the time to say that this is going to be coded by TT.

 

I now have no interest in buying this.

 

 

I'd rather have no game than a completely bugged load of rubbish jammed together from previous bits that were just as buggy.

You're surprised? I had no doubts that TT would be in on this, being as they are LEGO's go-to developer. But they might finally be doing something not specific to one license, and perhaps not such a carbon copy of every TT LEGO game's play style since the first LEGO Star Wars... So that's why I'm interested.

[IncogM]

Well, the actual brick sets are better than I was expecting although pricey, but without the gameplay being drastically different from the normal Lego games or the Skylander/Disney affair I have no interest in it.

If the little set packs end up with some rare pieces or colors, I may end up buying some for the parts but the NFC chips are bound to make them too expensive for that.

[le717]

Interesting article about legodimensions.com, some oversight on WB/LEGO's part, and how this guy did a good thing for LEGO.

 

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/04/how-a-journalist-briefly-got-control-of-a-major-new-gaming-brands-domain/

[Wirza]

I'll buy if it's cheap. I didn't enjoy skylanders, but i hope These are better. Also, I wish the Wiiu version didn't have a portal, Because The gamepad has an nfc reader. I have enough figure collecting for now with amiibo.

[CrashDSB]

Not quite sure if I like the idea of this, but eh I won't judge without seeing it fully first..

[Ayliffe]

Just found something quite interesting on this article from Metro:

Whether all of these will make it into the game is unknown, but we’ve been told unofficially that Doctor Who will definitely be a part of Lego Dimensions.

I'd still take that rumour with a pinch of salt, but it's still technically possible.

[aidenpons]

 

... I'd just like to take the time to say that this is going to be coded by TT.

 

I now have no interest in buying this.

 

 

I'd rather have no game than a completely bugged load of rubbish jammed together from previous bits that were just as buggy.

You're surprised? I had no doubts that TT would be in on this, being as they are LEGO's go-to developer. But they might finally be doing something not specific to one license, and perhaps not such a carbon copy of every TT LEGO game's play style since the first LEGO Star Wars... So that's why I'm interested.

 

 

I'm not surprised, as per se. I'm shocked, this has shaken the core of my very being! I'm disappointed, as TT has had a long history of bugs and I was hoping against all common sense that Lego would leave Dimensions to someone more trustworthy. LU wasn't made by TT, correct?

[Shadowblaze]

LU wasn't made by TT, correct?

 

It was made by NetDevil, and had loads of bugs, especially up to the late beta.

[Quisoves Potoo]

I'd rather have no game than a completely bugged load of rubbish jammed together from previous bits that were just as buggy.

 

How T&T games have you played, out of curiosity? I can think of plenty of flaws in the engine, but extreme bugginess isn't one of them. In my experience, most of the bugs are the sort of thing you have to go looking for, and hardly gamebreaking.

 

I am curious to see how this goes for LEGO, though I'm not terribly interested in it myself (too gimmicky), and I have no intention of buying any of the packs at full price.

 

 

Perhaps the most exciting bit for me is in regards to the licensed bits. We shall presumably see a Wizard of Oz theme, and Middle Earth and Back to the Future are not being dumped.

[Ayliffe]

So over on eurobricks someone found this article with some quite interesting info we haven't heard before. Some main points of interest are:

>Elisabeth Banks (you know, the one who voiced Wyldstyle in TLM) will be back to voice Wyldstyle in Dimensions. Yay proper voice actors!

>You know the area in front of the main portal that's divided in two? That can be used to scan figures into the game as well. In fact, the whole pad can scan in up to 7 bases at the same time. Blimey.

>At one point in the game, batman from the Lego Batman games meets the one from TLM. Oh boy dis gon be good.

>The base game released this year will be supported with new content for at least two years. Compared to skylanders which seems to get a new base game every couple of months, this seems like a pretty good investment.

>And last but not least, more info about the game will be revealed at E3 in June.

[Starrocks923]

Interesting article about legodimensions.com, some oversight on WB/LEGO's part, and how this guy did a good thing for LEGO.

 

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/04/how-a-journalist-briefly-got-control-of-a-major-new-gaming-brands-domain/

 

I'll buy if it's cheap. 

 

Domains cost $10, what would you use it for?

 

On a more serious note, I wonder how many people have pre-ordered every fun pack. I would love to invite those people over to my house sometime...

[le717]

 

Interesting article about legodimensions.com, some oversight on WB/LEGO's part, and how this guy did a good thing for LEGO.

 

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2015/04/how-a-journalist-briefly-got-control-of-a-major-new-gaming-brands-domain/

 

I'll buy if it's cheap.

 

Domains cost $10, what would you use it for?

 

 

Good job connecting two totally unrelated quotes. You are destined to succeed as a big data analyst and send me web ads for products you harvested based on "patterns" despite there being absolutely no connection at all!

 

[aidenpons]

 

I'd rather have no game than a completely bugged load of rubbish jammed together from previous bits that were just as buggy.

 

How T&T games have you played, out of curiosity? I can think of plenty of flaws in the engine, but extreme bugginess isn't one of them. In my experience, most of the bugs are the sort of thing you have to go looking for, and hardly gamebreaking.

 

I've played LLoTR and The Hobbit to death (or should I say "to crash" [img=), as well as Bionicle Heroes (but that's a different case, it's completely different from anything else TT has made).

 

Regarding The Hobbit: A long angry rant can be found on my Steam Reviews section: http://steamcommunity.com/id/aidenpons/recommended/285160/ Some of that is stupid oversight on the game devs, but some of it is absolute bugginess. Only the bugs will be ranted about here, but there's plenty more faults in the link.

 

And 'hardly gamebreaking.' Oh just you wait....

 

I cannot complete Goblin-Town. http://cloud-4.steamusercontent.com/ugc/535124313245995438/208C8A4E15EC38CC152552F510EA2D20F31847E9/ That's what happens. Needless to say, the game crashes about two minutes into this.

The mining minigame is weird: it's one of those "press a key when the dial points to an area" little things. One my machine it bounces around wildly and only realises you hit the key a full second later.

The Necromancer boss is also stupid. You deflect his brick blast by using a shield as a wizard. TT thought that to make this really easy, every key would be linked here to the shield.

Except for one lone Orc who wanders out of nowhere.

Orcs can destroy shields.

And because of TT, you can't change weapons easily to get rid of aforementioned orc, and he respawns anyway.

 

Go figure.

 

 

The camera, now. TT lied. "Rotate Camera" it said in the controls. "Pan Camera" is what it should say. Yes, it rotates the camera in Middle-Earth when you never need it, but it only pans in a level. This means that you can't figure out quite where that bottomless pit is, and so by the end of A Thunder-Battle you have less than 5,000 studs left (no really), and a feeling that the devs don't really care about the game (which they don't, but at least they could try to mask it )

 

---

 

Onto LoTR. It shares the same camera bugs, but TT hadn't developed an addiction to bottomless pits at that point in time so it's slightly less necessary.

You still have problems with bottomless water, on the other hand. Sometime the character won't jump out of the water and will fall back in again, and again, and again, and again.... This is worst in the Dead Marshes, whereby if you stray from the path you will try to jump out.. except that you jump back to the beginning of the path, or more frequently, die and go back to the beginning of the path anyway.

Speaking of falling: you can fall THROUGH Rivendell to the bottom of the earth, and walk around about 100m below the surface. TT was lazy and didn't bother putting collisions on the rocks of Rivendell, so if you fall off bye-bye progress!

 

Did I mention you can't 100% LLoTR? There's one Mithril Brick that is protected by an invisible barrier, as well as one that seems to duplicate (you can collect it multiple times but it won't count up after you collect it once). Nevertheless, the last piece of Mithril equipment cannot be gained.

 

And of course, the hints. LLoTR was the first TT game we ever played, and so we didn't know about ranged targets and the like. We were stuffed into the prologue. There are off-field targets that you shoot to get a Minikit. But we'd no idea what they were or how to get them. There was nothing in the manual either. Evidently you're supposed to read Galadriel's hints, but it takes about 50% level completion to see them all. So:

Black pit that can be only lit up with wizards (or items). We had neither (we = my and my brother playing). We walk in, and get scared out. We try again, and for some stupid reason catch a glimpse of a Minikit. Of course, that inpsires us to go in again...

...except that here there's a slight dent in the wall where a character can get stuck.

Only one solution was left: RESTART. We'd done that before, facing off Sauron, when we'd decided that Isildur and Elrond were cooler than Elendil. Normally the other characters come with you: this time it doesn't. Sauron can only be damaged by Elendil (because Morgul), and Elendil was stuck in a crowd.

 

---

 

These are only game-breaking glitches (or game-ruining). There are thousands more minor ones, as well as plenty of stupid things the devs did (like no targeting mechanism for ranged wizards, and the bosses all sharing the same attacks in Lego LoTR).

 

That's why I have no hope for Lego Dimensions.

 

 

QED