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I echo the 'Meh'. Not overly impressed with any of them, but the Dwarves and Gandalf are okay I suppose. I don't think that paintjob is helping very much at all here.

I may be losing my touch with the whole LotR fanboy thing, but weren't Middle Earth orcs and goblins - being corrupted elves originally - supposed to have black skin? The orcs in the LotR films were fairly dark (most of them), but what's with these almost albino versions?

My guess: I don't think we'll see the spiders until next year. I'm going with that the break in the film will be the party getting to Beorn's house. Then, them telling the story to Beorn can be the prologue to the second film, Gandalf tells them to "Stay on the path!", then bugger off to Dol Guldur, and then it'll be Further Adventures of Gandalf while the dwarves sit around in Thranduil's dungeons.
(I don't think we're even going to get a whiff of Smaug until the third film! :( )

 skrulnik wrote:
I think the goblins are very reminiscent of the alien bad guys from PJs first movie, Bad Taste.
I'm actually more interested in the Hobbit since seeing this stuff.

Spoiler:

Curious why we haven't seen the spiders yet.
I also thought the encounter and capture by the elves could be a good break point for the end of the movie.
Getting the impression it will end with the 3 trolls and Gandalf rescuing them.

'bout those spiders: there will probably be a second wave of Hobbit mini's soming out early/half 2013....

 Zweischneid wrote:

 Rainbow Dash wrote:
those goblins probably won't be cheap at all, which is another reason I won't buy them

Not all that bad really, Imagine if your kid would want their Hobbit goddies from Lego, instead of GW. Than you'd be well and truly screwed


Games Workshop's Escape from Goblin Town starter set. Will presumably sell for GBP 80,- in the limited edition version. Contains 56 miniatures
Lego's Battle of the Goblin King set. Sells for GBP 79,99 SRP in the regular version. Contains 7 miniatures (and 10... yes 10!!! weapons).

Your comparison is irrelevant in this thread as well as the other thread you made it in.

 Grimtuff wrote:


Your comparison is irrelevant in this thread as well as the other thread you made it in.

It is highly relevant, as has been pointed out to you repeatedly in the other thread. They are not identical (which would make a comparison pointless), but they do share similarities that make it worthwhile to look at.

At any rate, it's better than your arguments that you just draw out of thin air without any basis or grounding beyond your personal opinion.

If you show me a product even better suited for comparisons, I'd be more than happy to switch to that.

This is making me really depressed. Those Goblins are godawful ugly...... I don't mind the trolls, but I'm not exactly taken by them, and the Dwarves by and large don't look very dwarfish. This coupled with the increase in prices for the plastic boxes means I'm pretty much done collecting LotR I guess, unless of course I can Ebay.

 Zweischneid wrote:


If you show me a product even better suited for comparisons, I'd be more than happy to switch to that.

Ok how about this one: GW compared to practically every other game maker and miniature producer in the entire wargaming industry.

Don't get me wrong, buying GW is nothing like as expensive as some other hobbies, as is regularly pointed out in discussions such as these.
However regarding GW in particular the company is following a trend which isn't necessarily going to go down well with those who care about it:
It costs more to play, you need more of it, it's the same old stuff trotted out release after release, and arguably the quality, if anything, is getting worse both in terms of production quality (Finecast) and the actual quality of the sculpts themselves are becoming less sophisticated to the point where in some instances they are pretty much toy-like.

Now funnily enough I actually like a lot of these new minis. So, I think GW has hit the mark when it comes to the 'design' aspect of things, especially with some of the human sculpts. However regarding those other issues listed above; the price, the production quality, and even the games system (this is going to be essentially exactly the same game any followers of LoTR have been playing for a decade or more) are all areas where the release is going to fall short.

 Pacific wrote:

 Zweischneid wrote:


If you show me a product even better suited for comparisons, I'd be more than happy to switch to that.

Ok how about this one: GW compared to practically every other game maker and miniature producer in the entire wargaming industry.

I don't know any game maker in the "entire wargaming industry" that produces plastic sets like these on a licensed IP, much less the exact same Hobbit IP.

What advantages does a comparison to .. say Privateer Press have over a comparison to Lego?

Unlike PP, both Lego and GW run a retail chain.
Unilke PP, both Lego and GW sell a licensed Hobbit product.
Unlike PP, both Lego and GW sell mainly plastic products.
Unlike PP, both Lego and GW are originally European firms.
Unlike PP, the two products compared here are priced identically
Unlike but one or two PP products, the two products compared here are released in the identical time pre-Christmas 2012

Etc.. .

The target demographic is virtually identical for all three. Young, usually male, usually white, usually reasonably educated, fantasy-loving kids/teens + a smattering of collectors.

I can't think of any criteria that would make PP (or Corvus Belli or whatever) a significantly better comparison than the GW-Lego one.

I was gonna be out of this all together because of the supposed prices but there us no way I am missing out on the hunter orcs, I'll pick up a box of the foot, a box of the wargs and all the heroes for them...........when i have the money

That Gandalf sculpt for the council set is simply fantastic, easily the best one they have done, will get that on it's own at some point.

Not a big fan of everything else, the goblins are disappointing because I can't add them to my moria force but I can see the appeal to others. I do think the trolls will be better in person.

Radagast looks much better painted, and from that angle than he did in the bare plastic pic that was floating around. I like the White Council also but wow, 4 Failcast figures for $75.00, I think I'll have to pass. None of the GW LOTR games ever picked up any steam in my area during the last film releases, and at these prices I see that trend continuing.

I actually like the new Goblins, as it makes sense that they'd be so pale, as they are cave dwellers.

Maybe I'll use them as my Goblin captains.

I don't mind the goblins being ugly, they're meant to be ugly, but the prices are even uglier. £20/$35 for 18 goblins! Even by GW standards, that's more than a quid per goblin, and bear in mind these minis are small than the usual warhammer equivalents.

Like I said earlier, these are designed to entice impulse buyers who've seen the film.

I was surprised that they don't look at all like Moria goblins, but I suppose they'll be pale if they dwell mostly in caves. Just like Gollum, who is, in the books, supposed to be black. And yay if the Fellowship plastics are released separately: I've always wanted my own Fellowship of the Ring figures but no one sells the metal ones anymore and I don't like gambling on Finecast.

Are the dwarves in plastic too?

The Hobbit will have the same fate as Lotr. After a few years when the movies will be forgotten, nobody will play the game anymore. This effect will be priced into the system.
Consider the Starter set for 100€ plus rule book for 65€ with the new 40k set.

It just occurred to me that the Goblin Town terrain set will fit a lot of other terrain. Caves, castles, cities, towns, ruins, catacombs etc. etc.

 Pacific wrote:
- Why are we seeing these in iPhone pics taken by an adventurous Pole, with their features of the models distorted by the curved pages? These should be in full, high-res glory-vision on the website, with links spammed throughout the blogsphere, miniature web pages, even links through New Line and videogame tie-ins. Yes, I realise pigs might fly, better of course to restrict this so as few people as possible can see them.

Because previews = less sales.

Duh!

 VenomBlood wrote:
I have to admit experienced GW haters are able to hate stuff designed by third party as desperately as they do it regards to original GW.

In theory, none of current haters is mentioned in particular.

Yes. 'Cause disliking a specific model makes you a 'GW hater'.

Honest to feth...

 H.B.M.C. wrote:
Yes. 'Cause disliking a specific model makes you a 'GW hater'.

Honest to feth...

Meh. If they want to make me out to be a monster then fine, I'll be a monster. These people are so dead set on building themselves strawman enemies to fight it seems almost rude not to indulge them.

I gotto say, I think the Dwarves are really cool. As is the White Council. Shame there just aren't more on the White Council, like Elrond's sons. But then again if they were there then you'd have to explain why they weren't there during the LotR films. I also think the Goblins look pretty cool as well.

The Trolls are crap, and stupidly overpriced.

The terrain has me intrigued...

 Zweischneid wrote:
It is highly relevant...

No it's not Zwei. It's a load of nonsense and a complete and utter straw-stuffed red herring.

I like the dwarves, they all look very individual (and probably decent likenesses of the actors). The scale interests me. Is it just me or does Gandalf seem taller than his old LOTR versions? And some of the dwarves, too, again compared to, say, Gimli or the other LOTR dwarf range.

This makes no difference but on the Games Workshop website they have the Hobbit SBG logo at the bottom of the page

Every new release GW makes seems to jade me further. This whole set looks mundane and ugly. It's just a cynical cash-in on a film that's been stretched cynically to cash in on all the kids who'll go and watch the funny dwarfs fall over.

It's also about £30 worth of stuff for, definitely, over double cost. Pass

 Davylove21 wrote:
Every new release GW makes seems to jade me further. This whole set looks mundane and ugly. It's just a cynical cash-in on a film that's been stretched cynically to cash in on all the kids who'll go and watch the funny dwarfs fall over.

Quick to judge a movie we've not seen, aren't you?

 Agamemnon2 wrote:
I like the dwarves, they all look very individual (and probably decent likenesses of the actors). The scale interests me. Is it just me or does Gandalf seem taller than his old LOTR versions? And some of the dwarves, too, again compared to, say, Gimli or the other LOTR dwarf range.

Depends on the dwarf in question it seems.

Well the two there are close brothers after all.

 heartserenade wrote:
I was surprised that they don't look at all like Moria goblins, but I suppose they'll be pale if they dwell mostly in caves. Just like Gollum, who is, in the books, supposed to be black. And yay if the Fellowship plastics are released separately: I've always wanted my own Fellowship of the Ring figures but no one sells the metal ones anymore and I don't like gambling on Finecast.

Are the dwarves in plastic too?

The fellowship in plastic is something I'll buy, if the price isn't as painful as the rest of the releases!

 wuestenfux wrote:
The Hobbit will have the same fate as Lotr. After a few years when the movies will be forgotten, nobody will play the game anymore. This effect will be priced into the system.
Consider the Starter set for 100€ plus rule book for 65€ with the new 40k set.

I'd say that it's even worse - the LOTR trilogy is a true masterpiece of art as it made the fantasy genre what it is nowadays. No other work of fiction influenced the genre more than it did. The Hobbit, however, has always stood in the shadow of the three books - and rightfully so, if you ask me, as I consider The Hobbit far, far inferior to the actual trilogy. Furthermore, it really saddens me that The Hobbit is now even split in 3 parts seeing that 2/3 of the book are boring as hell.

Anyway. The Hobbit will be a sales-spike for GW because "It's Lord of the Rings!", not because "It's The Hobbit!". And maybe, soon afterwards, LOTR will finally die. LOTR, imo, is a very good system and most miniatures look awesome (NOT YOU, PLASTIC TREANTS! GO ROT IN SHAME!) but The Hobbit will not elaborate on the big battles part..which is, imo the interesting part. Having epic battles in the LOTR universe.

Goddamnit, hobbits suck. Small, weak, fat. Courageous my balls, Boromir anyone?

meh

 Sigvatr wrote:
I'd say that it's even worse - the LOTR trilogy is a true masterpiece of art as it made the fantasy genre what it is nowadays. No other work of fiction influenced the genre more than it did. The Hobbit, however, has always stood in the shadow of the three books - and rightfully so, if you ask me, as I consider The Hobbit far, far inferior to the actual trilogy. Furthermore, it really saddens me that The Hobbit is now even split in 3 parts seeing that 2/3 of the book are boring as hell.

You are aware that the Hobbit was Tolkien's first book and started it all, right? No Hobbit, no LOTR.

Sigvatr wrote:Goddamnit, hobbits suck. Small, weak, fat. Courageous my balls, Boromir anyone?

Not impressed by the human porcupine

 Kroothawk wrote:

You are aware that the Hobbit was Tolkien's first book and started it all, right? No Hobbit, no LOTR.

I am well aware of it and never denied it. My point is that most people do not care for The Hobbit, but for LOTR - and it wasn't The Hobbit that influenced the entire genre, it was the LOTR trilogy.

/e: Jesus, I hate cutting quotes on dakka ever since the last update :/

 Sigvatr wrote:

 Kroothawk wrote:

You are aware that the Hobbit was Tolkien's first book and started it all, right? No Hobbit, no LOTR.

I am well aware of it and never denied it. My point is that most people do not care for The Hobbit, but for LOTR - and it wasn't The Hobbit that influenced the entire genre, it was the LOTR trilogy.

/e: Jesus, I hate cutting quotes on dakka ever since the last update :/

Most people do not care for The Hobbit? Who are these most people? (And by most people I assume you mean Tolkien fans, not just people in general, because in that case most people do not care for anything)

I love the entire world Tolkien created. I enjoyed reading the Silmarilion, and I'm starting to work through some of the other books Christopher has put together from his father's notes. Would I love to see some of that stuff made as movies instead of stretching The Hobbit out into 3? Sure. But, hey, I'm happy to just read the darn books instead.

I'm thrilled to have more of this stuff made into plastic, and I hope the game does reasonably well. Heck, I never really got to play the LotR or WotR games despite collecting a bunch of the miniatures, but the rules looked pretty good. Hopefully I can try them out a bit this time around. I'd love to see the game survive past the movies, but I'm not holding my breath. If nothing else I can play with awesome dioramas of Bilbo pissing the living hell out of Gollum.

 Sigvatr wrote:


Goddamnit, hobbits suck. Small, weak, fat. Courageous my balls, Boromir anyone?

Well, I've got good news for you then. The Hobbit features approximately 80% fewer hobbits than The LotR did.