AA has a cell for Mr. Freeze and no Mr. Freeze!  Otherwise, I think it's fine.  You're obviously not going to see the set minus minifigures sell for for near MSRP when you can still buy the whole set for MSRP.  Also, one thing that keeps down the price of a set sans minifigures is simply that it's opened and doesn't make for much of a gift.  To find out what the minifigures alone are worth, you should be comparing AA without minifigures to AA complete, but deboxed with pieces in sealed bags.

 

EEE on the other hand is not a train.  It's a ship that doesn't float.  It's really not comparable with the Maersk Train, unless you know of a way to motorize it AND get it to float...

 

I am curious, have you seen a EEE built in person? It is very impressive, I don't see floating really coming into play here. It is not a toy by any stretch of the imagination and not many people have actual water-filled tanks for their displays. With all due respect, I think you are overthinking this one. : )

Over thinking and conspiracy theories are the norm here.

Over thinking and conspiracy theories are the norm here.

That's the norm in any threads that talk about retiring Lego sets and what Lego CS says about certain sets.

I understand that EEE is not a toy; in a sense, that was my point.  Maersk Train looks great AND you can make it move around on tracks.  The ship looks great too, but it doesn't do anything.  I think it's hard to argue with the idea that display piece + toy is a better deal than display piece only.  How much more would you pay for an SSD if it could really fly?  A real-world example of what I'm talking about is the premium that the motorized AT-AT fetches over non-motorized versions on the secondary market.

How much more would you pay for an SSD if it could really fly?

It can fly, the time elapsed in the air just depends on how strong you are.

I understand that EEE is not a toy; in a sense, that was my point.  Maersk Train looks great AND you can make it move around on tracks.  The ship looks great too, but it doesn't do anything.  I think it's hard to argue with the idea that display piece + toy is a better deal than display piece only.  How much more would you pay for an SSD if it could really fly?  A real-world example of what I'm talking about is the premium that the motorized AT-AT fetches over non-motorized versions on the secondary market.

 

I get ticked when my Green Grocer doesn't roll easy and won't stay on the train tracks. 

Pleas everyone can return their Triple E's...

Everyone...

Then I'll be the lone one to have any.

:jest:

It can fly, the time elapsed in the air just depends on how strong you are.

Hmm... maybe we should talk to that guy who makes complex objects levitate via use of magnets (I think). Levitating SSD or MF could be way cool

This:

http://www.beautyworldnews.com/articles/11574/20140902/dutch-engineer-develops-levitating-appliances-video.htm

It can fly, the time elapsed in the air just depends on how strong you are.

release it from a tall building.

I guess I would cut SSD some slack on the flying front, just 'cause it's meant to be assembled in orbit and never land planetside.  Still, the lack of a hyperdrive bugs me.  At $399, let alone secondary market prices, you'd think Lego could have sprung for one.

http://www.crealev.com/product/clm-2/

10 kg should support the SSD just fine; once you locate the center of gravity, you should be all set.  Just keep the base unit level and, unless I misunderstand, actual propulsion will still need to come from elsewhere.  Has anyone on the internet figured out the SSD thrusters yet?

I guess I would cut SSD some slack on the flying front, just 'cause it's meant to be assembled in orbit and never land planetside. Still, the lack of a hyperdrive bugs me. At $399, let alone secondary market prices, you'd think Lego could have sprung for one.

You didn't watch the first episode of Star Wars Rebels, did you?

Nope.  Or the second episode, or the third...  Please don't tell me someone landed an SSD on the surface of a planet, 'cause that just wouldn't make any sense, and I expect plausibility from my Star Wars.  Just like you don't store a real-life EEE in your garage during the winter, you don't land a super star destroyer on the ground, anywhere.  When you're done flying it, the pilot's manual suggests "docking" at the nearest death star...

Diagon Alley is probably a good model for AA, a lot of parallels between those two.

Nope. Or the second episode, or the third... Please don't tell me someone landed an SSD on the surface of a planet, 'cause that just wouldn't make any sense, and I expect plausibility from my Star Wars. Just like you don't store a real-life EEE in your garage during the winter, you don't land a super star destroyer on the ground, anywhere. When you're done flying it, the pilot's manual suggests "docking" at the nearest death star...

It was an ISD, not an SSD, but there was an SSD that flew through a planets atmosphere. Fairly low to the ground, too. That was my one complaint about the show. I just don't think anything that big should be in atmosphere. And they've never shown that in canon before.

This:

http://www.beautyworldnews.com/articles/11574/20140902/dutch-engineer-develops-levitating-appliances-video.htm

 

 

Dibs !

It was an ISD, not an SSD, but there was an SSD that flew through a planets atmosphere. Fairly low to the ground, too. That was my one complaint about the show. I just don't think anything that big should be in atmosphere. And they've never shown that in canon before.

 

Disney owns Star Wars now.

 

Canon? We don't need no stinking canon.

In that case, maybe SSD's can travel underwater, too...  Helpful for taking on Gungan Subs, don't ya know?

Can anyone please enlight me, how is 'AA without minifigs selling for $100' a good indicator of the set may not do well in the future? The set is still pretty very much available from all major online retailers, and how much do we expect a buyer to pay for an opened set minus 8 great minifigs? $150? We do not expect ebay buyers to be that naive, do we?

Can anyone please enlight me, how is 'AA without minifigs selling for $100' a good indicator of the set may not do well in the future? The set is still pretty very much available from all major online retailers, and how much do we expect a buyer to pay for an opened set minus 8 great minifigs? $150? We do not expect ebay buyers to be that naive, do we?

the point is that the exclusive minifigures which are carrying some of the set's value could be released in a much less expensive set next year.

 

i would have hoped an AA w/o minifigures would have not been $60 less than msrp or put another way, you can buy an AA w/o the minifigures for 37.5% discount. 

 

at no time could you have bought a GE, PS, TH without the minifigures for a 37.5% discount.

The argument of licensed sets vs minifigures is pointless. You're comparing apples and oranges. Invest as you will but you can't compare the two.

the point is that the exclusive minifigures which are carrying some of the set's value could be released in a much less expensive set next year.

 

i would have hoped an AA w/o minifigures would have not been $60 less than msrp or put another way, you can buy an AA w/o the minifigures for 37.5% discount. 

 

at no time could you have bought a GE, PS, TH without the minifigures for a 37.5% discount.

Before the panic buying frenzy, someone scored brand new TH on ebay for 10% off msrp, and I've see amazon warehouse deals have used modulars with 10-20% off discount. When the set is available everywhere, you can't get much for used ones with missing pieces. Now if it is out of stock and still selling for $100 on ebay, that's more telling.

Last year, the Monster Fighters line became TRU exclusive and crushed everyone's hope and dream due to prolonged existence.   Are we expecting a repeat this year ?  Which commonly available line will become the 2014 TRU exclusive ?