The Noble Art of Studless Baseplates ~ LEGO 6589 Radical Racer!

[@Go4Bob]

This set was sold in Australia as well as I have a copy myself. Not an exclusive North American set.

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you for the insight! I was hoping to hear from some folks to dispel the North American exclusive rumour. I find that Brickset tends to overestimate how limited/exclusive some sets were. I had a sneaking suspicion that this set wasn’t as rare as they made it sound. 😊

[@vexfidel4127]

Australia is weird like that. Sometimes we get North American "Exclusives", sometimes European ones, sometimes both. I remember in 2005 when Vikings and Dino attack were meant to be exclusive to different markets, yet Australia got both of them at regular retail.

[@TheStugbit]

@@vexfidel4127 I had this set here in Brazil too. With all the packaging written in Portuguese, not English, if I'm not mistaken.

[@caezoyd]

@@TheStugbit I'm from Brazil too and still have this set

[@comesaillard8797]

It was also released in France !

[@empatheticrambo4890]

I’d like to petition for this Dark Orange baseplate to be used for a Life on Mars diorama when you get to that theme. It looks like a match made in Lego heaven

[@Nadiki]

That would be perfect

[@RRSlugger]

This is the entire reason I bought two of them! 😁

[@empatheticrambo4890]

@@RRSlugger that’s wonderful news! Can’t wait to live vicariously through those dioramas

[@stagdragon3978]

To indicate the challenges of getting to Mars actually this is a great example. You can't build a structure that works off studs. Just like how they can't implant fiundations into the Marian soil without knowing how dense it is.

[@empatheticrambo4890]

@@stagdragon3978 this is an interesting point, I’ve never thought of the challenges of human structure building on Mars

[@GigaTrope]

Raised baseplates really made a lot of sets back in the day.

[@RRSlugger]

It’s hard to imagine sets like Rock Raiders HQ or the Dragon Fortress without it!

[@BraveLittlePixel]

I truly think Lego is trying to remove baseplates, but the bigger sets definitely need some kind of intact base to allow movement and transport of the set. Take the Lion's Knight castle of 2022 for example, it's huge, the floor is intricate with grass and water, made up of smaller plates, however, rotating this piece, opening it up, or moving it leads to parts of the floor constantly falling off or coming loose.

[@CryosisOfficial]

Problem is, traditional baseplates aren't great for that purpose either. They're too thin and flimsy. I never liked baseplates as a kid due to how much they'd bend and warp when used for their intended purpose. A good replacement for baseplates would be a regular brick (or slightly more) thick piece but with the surface area of a baseplate. The 16x16 mosaic base piece is a good example of this, and since they're technic compatible, you can stick a bunch of them together in a modular manner.

[@shqip_sumejja]

I miss these studless baseplates and I would hate for them to remove all baseplates, they keep the whole build in one place as well as just being more portable for kids

[@NIRDIAN1]

I expect we may see more modular large plates or even larger plates with antistuds than the... is it 16x16? The ones we see frequently in current Minecraft sets. But yeah it seems the classic Baseplate is on the way out, alas...

[@RRSlugger]

@@NIRDIAN1 Indeed, everything is made with those 16x16 plates now, rather than traditional baseplates. 😭

[@Bionickpunk]

They also add more environment to the build, more of the actual terrain the structures are build upon, rather than those small plates they use on large builds, showing no actual terrain around the build.

[@ChilleBruh]

Have the blue studless baseplate that came with the old scuba set yet; what a neat era of Lego!

[@CarsSimplified]

As soon as I saw that I remembered I had it, but I suspect it is long gone, unfortunately. My parents never threw away anything Lego related aside from possibly that baseplate and another studless baseplate, probably due to the lack of studs that made it clear it was Lego.

[@thrillhouse4151]

My friend had that one, I hope his folks didn’t throw it away!

[@StanBlankPlushelodeon]

Lego is keeping baseplates around begrudgingly. They’re one of the last pieces that remains outsourced to another company to produce them. I think they are still around because the popular Modular Buildings series continues to use them. If that line ended I think Lego would release 32x32 regular plates in their place. Also I found the Rocky Ridge Playscape while digging around in my basement and it’s amazing. I probably will take it to the beach and make a sand castle from it.

[@RRSlugger]

Honestly, I think you’re spot on here. 👍 There seems to be very little love in any official capacity for this type of piece anymore.

[@johndoriansmith]

Radical video Slugger, thanks for the totally tubular examination of this rare set

[@Staple_Tapeworms]

I'm gonna have to buy a Radical Racer before people catch on to how cool and unique it is!

[@RRSlugger]

They should still be plenty affordable! I think I bought mine sealed with the baseplate for about $50 Canadian, if I recall correctly. 😊

[@danakanam5]

Don't you mean how radical it is

[@Maniac4Bricks]

I covered this set 5 years ago on KZbin, but in true Slugger fashion, you brought alot of life to reviewing this set! Well done covering it top to bottom!

[@RRSlugger]

Ah, I’ve got to go check out your video on it now too! 😊

[@Maniac4Bricks]

@@RRSlugger mistakenly I had it private for some time, my mistake!

[@LegoSonicBoy]

The one thing I learned from this video more than anything related to this set and Extreme Team itself is the fact that those printed helmets found in Drome Racers came from Extreme Team! I can't wait to build the 31130 that I have. The octopus is my favorite animal and it's among my favorite sets of 2022, behind only sets like 90 Years of Play and Sonic the Hedgehog.

[@RRSlugger]

I skipped the sub build altogether and went straight for the octopus, hahaha. 😂 I’ll go back and finish the set, but the octopus is where it’s at!

[@gonkdroid8279]

Lol, the opening was hysterical

[@rivaldogomes8734]

Congratulations on 200 thousand views!

[@RRSlugger]

Thanks! KZbin definitely decided everyone needed to see this one, for some reason, haha! 😅

[@EzBricks_]

Great video! This is what I call a Lego enthusiast!

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you! ❤

[@dordeivkovic]

Got to say, I really really appreciate your videos. Thank you so much for the time and insight for all the sets and themes you review. The creative process you go through is noticeable and always brings smile to my face. Pure wholesomeness. Keep up the GREAT work and take how much time you need to keep creating content that you'd like to watch yourself! Also, Merry Christmas!

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you very much - and a Merry Christmas to you as well! ❤️️ I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the videos! I have many more planned for 2023. 😊

[@Cyberbrickmaster1986]

Growing up in the 90s, I remember seeing and assembling large builds with base plates, but I don't remember seeing studless ones. I kind of miss those days to be honest... But what I don't miss was that awkward phase Lego was going through between the late 90s to early mid 00s.

[@Nadiki]

Wow, I had no idea these kinds of baseplates existed! I wonder how many I’ve seen at garage sales and thought they weren’t Lego. The canyon one looks really familiar

[@AAC-qd2vn]

This is a great channel, man. It’s not easy to find such entertaining content for niche hobbies.

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you! Thanks for checking out the channel, Alf. I was a big fan of your show growing up! 😉

[@DyingElmo]

This was so RADICAL and EXTREME that it changed my perspective on life.

[@ShyGuyXXL]

I get why they wanna phase out base plates. They create some compatibility issues, since they are thinner than regular plates... But the least they could do is give us sets with regular plates as a base. But they only ever use plates that are barely big enough to house the set, with maybe one or two studs worth of space around them. But no, large plates are really rare... They never even made any regular plates larger than 16x16 studs. I dunno if it's just me, but as a kid I LOVED building scenery. Which required ground to put things on. Just putting loose plants, fences and stuff on the ground didn't cut it. I wanted to keep it in one place like a diorama. That's what baseplates were great for. But without any other plates to replace them with, your only choice is to put them down loosely. And then they'll fall over and get misaligned, and you can't take them anywhere without having to arrange it all again... There's just something severly missing without a large studded area to arrange things.

[@RRSlugger]

You nailed it, 100% ☝️

[@SpacklerStudios]

Now that I think about it, the last time I saw a raised baseplate in a Lego set was with the Scorpion Pyramid from Pharaoh's Quest back in 2011. The fact that a decade has passed since that set came out has made me realize just how much Lego has changed set wise

[@employee472]

I just got recommended this channel by Big Yellow and I'm so glad they led me here!! I've been on a dry spell for interesting Lego videos but you have so much interest and enthusiasm and a great style to your videos its hard to not watch all the way through!

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you - welcome to the channel! ❤️ There’s a ton of back catalogue to go through if you’re interested and I try to have a new video out every Friday. 😊

[@NIRDIAN1]

I only had one of these sets (the one with the neon yellow windscreen and the chrome exhausts that run the length of the car), but it being one of my first it created a DEEP APPRECIATION for the line! So glad to see you cover it! :D

[@RRSlugger]

I would love to get my hands on that set one day! 😊

[@NIRDIAN1]

@@RRSlugger Oh heck is that lil' offroader a rare set these days...? I'm personally hoping to get the Jet Racer at some point, was always a fan of that wild set, and very envious when it went to my brother. :P I also remember seeing a set with mountain being traversed by a monster truck?! Truly a wild line!

[@Sparked-Out]

Now this is the moment I’ve been waiting for.

[@empatheticrambo4890]

This is really cool! I had one of those Xtreme race cars as a kid, but never have I heard of these studless baseplates. Fascinating

[@Midnorme]

I really love the old base plates, like the Pirates Eldorado Fortress or Enchanted Island. And Aquazone had a good one with Neptune Discovery Lab. Wish Lego would bring them back.

[@anodyneghost]

I almost wish they would do more of this style of baseplate, some of them really added to the atmosphere the sets were trying to create like the blue deep ocean ones or the alien-esque black space ones. Even some of the mountain ones look super cool to create depth in larger dioramas

[@ENCHANTMEN_]

I hope they bring back raised baseplates. It was a cool way to add a background to a set

[@metalwolfzx]

At 1:25 that baseplate looks awesome in my eyes, looks like something you'd see in a video game!

[@rlight3566]

Yep

[@alt0248]

I loved that Extreme Team mountain baseplate and its greyscale counter part for the underwater themes.

[@jeffodabear]

I remember a bunch of these stud-less sets from my childhood! Wow, it's crazy how you forget this sort of stuff until your memory is jogged.

[@lbricks7631]

What an oddly elegant design.

[@UndeadPigeonFilms]

I found this baseplate back in 2009 at a thrift store when I was 12. I knew immediately what it was from reading my brother's old lego magazines. I think I paid 50 cents for it. I used to turn it upside down and fill it with water for my minifigs to swim in.

[@StarHorder]

I HAD THE PLATE FROM SKALA!! ITS SO GOOD TO KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM!! THANK YOUUUUU!!

[@RRSlugger]

Nice!! Another mystery solved!

[@colinroberts2060]

As odd as it may sound, I actually didn't have any sets with a "traditional" baseplate until around early September of 2006 when I received a copy of the "Temple of Mount Everest" (7417) as a late birthday gift from someone my mom was friends with had discovered it at what was believed to be some form of overstock store three years after the set's initial release. I would later obtain the standard flat baseplates in smaller sizes such as 8x16 ones over the following year, even though they became far more scarce after the mid-late 2000s. Of note, the 32x32 baseplate at 4:13 has been in use for 46 years, though the Mata blue one first appeared in 1989 in a set (6077) from the "Forestmen" theme. Not only that, but the same size of baseplate in Mata blue only came in three other standard retail sets after this, which were the "Skull Island" (6279) from Pirates in 1995, a Spider Man 2 set (4856) from April 2004, and the Creator Expert Sydney Opera House (10234) from 2013. Even as the baseplate on its own in that color continued to be sold under different set numbers until 2022 before being retired.

[@GunnarTobus]

I really wish that raised baseplates would make a return. Studless or not, there’s so much you can do with those pieces, if you can call them that. I think the best usage of one was the Scorpion Pyramid from Pharaoh’s Quest.

[@RRSlugger]

Absolutely agree!

[@DizzyDemo]

I had that set as a kid. Think the last time I saw that baseplate was before leaving for college. No idea where it went or is now

[@chuckschwa]

Great video! The intro was entertaining, got to reminisce about baseplates, and I learned something new about Scala!

[@RobertMaxwell1991]

I had this! Oh man I forgot all about this thing. Thanks for unlocking a childhood memory of mine

[@Resuone]

I hope to see you next time for something less extreme.. *BIKER BOB!*

[@PhilipWorthington]

90's Lego will always be my favourite era

[@jacobnion2525]

that intro was totally radical dude

[@cromofilms]

you're a 90s LEGO retro retrospect channel and I adore this channel cause of that

[@oneMeVz]

I never knew this studless baseplate existed! The depressions to fit system bricks and the base to fit flat basesplates are novel and shame it never became the norm. The one Megablocks set I had had a cratered moon base with irregular studding and the tops of some rocks even had a stud. An odd stud on the Radical Racer baseplate would've given a bit more to work with. I think Lego or a 3rd party should bring back this style.

[@SleepyCeri]

Your intro in this video was SOOO fantastic hahaha

[@nilsnyman6767]

A most excellent video!

[@gearsnstuff7330]

I hadn't heard of the Extreme Team line before, and I actualy realized watching this video that I had gotten an E.T. set mostly complete in a vintage Lego lot I got a while back, so cool! now I want to get my hands on more of the lineup

[@pelegocan4929]

Whenever I'm feeling down I come back to the first 23 seconds of this video.

[@tvommy]

I had that rock one! And i had a race track corner, all from my brother back in the 80-90’s

[@Matteo_the_Plague_Doctor]

I remember this set and had it as a kid. Man I wish I still had that base though! Lol 90s and 2000s Lego was trippy

[@Maniac4Bricks]

The first 25 seconds alone was worth the like.

[@Andrewnuva199]

Baseplates certainly are a cornerstone of old systems (Modular included!), though knowing how some MOCers are I can see why they could be phased out. Would be a shame if they really are phased out entirely, but it is what it is IMO Also I acquired that Crystal Crawler w/ baseplate set recently with a thrift store find, certainly is an interesting piece, though not as versataile of the canyon plate featured here.

[@halotroop2288]

Well this explains the non-brick-built elements in older LEGO games. That always annoyed me. But now I know that even real LEGO sets mixed *smooth* toys with our beloved studs.

[@psiquemach]

Nice. I found some parts of the video genuinely funny.

[@TPLS2]

Those exhaust pipes seem so cool. I really hope we see more pipes like that in the future!

[@reapertoa]

this set was also sold, sparringly, in latin american countries, Dad brought one from Colombia but i also saw some here in Peru

[@RRSlugger]

Nice! I’m glad to hear it wasn’t as region specific as I thought. 😊

[@bikya1]

super cool!!

[@legoroan9866]

Lego used to give the city large town sets on one baseplate, they started giving each model one baseplate and now use plates instead of baseplates. I think 36X36 baseplates COULD one day be replaced by 36x36 plates

[@lordgiblets7585]

I remember having the Crystal Crawler, and as soon as I saw the thumbnail for this, I thought about when I got that set back in the '90s.

[@TheHylianBatman]

I also love baseplates!! What a delightful little video. I think that all sorts of baseplates should be made along the lines of that one from Scala; interactable with plain studs, raised, printed, the works! I almost fully agree with your thoughts here, with a couple exceptions: 1. I don't believe that the lives baseplates live now are unglamorous or troublesome at all! They serve a beautiful, noble cause, as they always have. It's the cause that's changed! Nowadays, the sense of scale that baseplates provide seems to be only deemed "necessary" on the Big Expensive Adult LEGO Models, rather than for any playset. And that's a shame; don't kids deserve to feel that scale, too? However, I don't feel bad at baseplates being covered in the modulars, for example; it's a sidewalk and a building, surely it ought to be "paved" or "cobbled" or whatever word you feel like using, and surely that effect is best achieved by using plates to cover the "ground", which is the baseplate? However, buildings do have backyards. Surely they could use a green baseplate and leave it open on the back to be the alley or something like that! 2. I don't think baseplates are on the way out at all! Now, diminished? Underutilized? Nearly shunned? Absolutely. I don't believe that baseplates have a bright, happy future in front of them at all! But I think they're such a useful part for the Big Expensive Adult LEGO Models (B.E.A.L.M. - use that if you like) that they'll stick around for a while. You can put a lot of stuff on a baseplate! But still. It's a shame! I'd love to buy just a whole bunch of baseplates and see what world I can construct with them! Spread them out over a table and see what patterns emerge and what hurdles I'd need to overcome, it'd lend itself quite naturally to worldbuilding, which is something that I personally think LEGO could be excellent for! But alas, LEGO has lost their imagination, and can only build with baseplates quite literally as the base. Ah, well. Maybe letters and phone calls can help. Also the little car is cute. I love the color schemes, and the alternate models are all super endearing!

[@RRSlugger]

Thanks for the comment, as always! I think I would be a lot less troubled by the current “cover every single stud” mantra if they were *also* used in smaller retail sets in a more normal fashion. Right now, it kind of reads like Lego is “burying” them and not utilizing them to the full potential. Not sure what lies in store for the traditional baseplate, but I’d agree that their best days are sadly behind them. 🙁

[@TheHylianBatman]

@@RRSlugger I agree entirely! And it a shame. But then again, we live in world with 3D printers now... Instead of covering the table WITH baseplates, just makes it so the table IS a baseplate!

[@regalternative]

I never had these but I loved the raised studded baseplates. Most of my friends thought they were stupid and I managed to collect extra copies of them to build some interesting land formations

[@generic840]

This reminds me of a set i saw like many ages ago but never found againt, it was monster trucks but the gimmic was that when they "crashed" into something the seat with the minifigure would be launched into the air, weirdly enough i am unable to nowadays find proof of their existence

[@RRSlugger]

That sounds very familiar to me! You should check out the Lego racers episode of “Lego Rewind” - it’s a video series here on KZbin. I think the sets you’re describing make an appearance in it! 😊

[@Shypa]

The fact that we haven't seen this set in europe is a success of its own.

[@TicoMachi]

Yo! I have that blue crystal underwater baseplate! And, on the topic of how they are using baseplates less these days, one reason could be to encourage more imagination/play. If you had a set on a blue baseplate that was two islands with a bridge, then that's all it will be, two islands in the water. But if you were to make that same set but without the baseplate, then a kid could imagine it as whatever they want. Could be islands, a river crossing, or two sides of tall cliffs.

[@RosePieVA]

this would make a really great Geonosis diorama.

[@terronicle545]

This is really cool! Had NO idea this was ever a thing😂 Love your videos man

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you! Thanks for checking out the channel!

[@theRozman88]

Your wonderful video just shook loose some of my memories from my childhood. I don't remember the set in it's built form but I'm sure I had it as I can remember having all the parts to build the car including the stickers. But I guess in Slovenia the set didn't come with the studless base plate as I would for sure recall owning that.

[@Nerdtendo6366]

That baseplate would be awesome for a Geonosis moc

[@RRSlugger]

Absolutely!

[@ztm454]

I had this set when i was a kid

[@bosunsbricks]

I had no idea there were so many of these! This video also made me think of set 6799, Showdown Canyon, which I had as a kid and included a cardboard playscape in the box. Unfortunately, unlike the set itself, it didn't survive my childhood. Wonder if there were similar cardboard playscapes released in that era as well.

[@samuelbaugh4952]

Nice video!

[@CalmaxFilm]

Very cool :)

[@asphaltmemories4597]

Thanks for the 90's nostalgia, growing up in this time we were spoiled for choice and I remember looking through many a catalogue wanting a set whose line had already been discontinued. It was so frustrating. Looking forward to the day you review RES-Q, those sets were my white whale. Only had the ambulance but that Helicopter eluded me. Nick On Planet Ripple sent me here btw.

[@RRSlugger]

Me too! I’d love to get that Res-Q base they had. 👍 That’s very generous of Nick! He’s been hanging out in our live streams recently too. ❤️

[@asphaltmemories4597]

@@RRSlugger Also that Robo-force episode is going to be amazing, cannot wait. That was one of those weird blink and you miss it themes that I would always wonder about. The weird octagonal trans-green cockpit on the Robo-master is *chefs kiss*.

[@sketchpalosotherchannel]

I remember getting a lot of bags of Lego from the thrift store with stickers from the Radial Racers sets in it. Good times man.

[@ct3000]

Looking through my collection i have most of the pieces with thier extreme printing and stickers to make this set, but no baseplate. Its not hard to assume that the yardsale i got it from when i was a kid the mom that sold it probably didn't even think the base plate was lego. I think that plus the encouragement to play with the elements on the box makes it more rare and special.

[@Jolamprex]

I have this and it was one of my earliest Lego memories! This is what I brought to play with while I waited in the lobby while my parents were talking to a lawyer. I was, like, five. (It was nothing dramatic. There was a property line discrepancy to resolve.). Although I have no memory of the orange baseplate.

[@sebchambers7140]

Love these videos! The editing and audio work is great! Hope to see more in the future. Could you take a look at the Res-Q theme if you get the chance? Some of those sets where amazing, I love that hovercraft one!

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you very much! I’m glad to hear you’re enjoying them. 😊 Res-Q would be awesome to talk about! I’ll add it to the list! I only have two sets from that theme so far, but I’ll try to pick up some more in the future.

[@VestedUTuber]

A baseplate's kinda like putting down a grass flock mat for the foundation of a model railroad. You can get better results with sculpted terrain, but for a quick build they're very convenient.

[@RipOffProductionsLLC]

Indeed, while I could see why Baseplates are undesirable due to their shorter hight abd how that might create alignment issues with other builds, unless Lego wants to start making normal Plates at the same immense sizes as Baseplates(which I'm sure many mega-mock boulders would love to use), Baseplate still have a practical use.

[@VestedUTuber]

@@RipOffProductionsLLC I mean, you can even put the smaller plates _on_ baseplates, either directly or on elevated mounts to allow for variance in terrain height.

[@RipOffProductionsLLC]

@VestedUTuber yes, but my point was that Baseplates are a different thickness than normal plates, thus if you put a biuld set on a Baseplate next to one that isn't, they don't line up.

[@tefnutofhoney2832]

I think baseplates largely retiring from use in sets is a good thing, if theyre replaced with in system equivalents, the only problem being folks with existing displays adapting to the new status quo. Mind, baseplates are entirely valid to enjoy

[@RRSlugger]

The only problem is that they *aren't* being replaced with System equivalents - at least, not all of them. Sets like the ones shown at 4:47 just don't exist anymore, with baseplate terrain expanding outwards beyond a few studs away from a wall. 16x32 and 32x32 baseplates have no System equivalent yet and instead of making one, The Lego Group just designs sets around this limitation now. That's not objectively a bad thing, mind you, but I do think something is lost because of it. The new system is more of a lateral change and not the straight upgrade we had hoped it to be.

[@tefnutofhoney2832]

@@RRSlugger valid point. I meant more if they start releasing equivalents. Something im sure theyd start doing before they entirely abandoned baseplates. Honestly i think the only reason there arent in-system equivalents to large baseplates is, theyre a bit flimsy. I wonder if the reason theyre not made in system is due to the extra thickness adding more bits that break off

[@RRSlugger]

@@tefnutofhoney2832 That’s gotta be it, eh? There has to be a mechanical reason why they can’t make plates larger than 16 x 16, otherwise I’m sure they would have a long ago. I guess that’s what I mean when I say that they are keeping baseplates around begrudgingly in the video - if they had a better current solution, I’d have to imagine they would take it.

[@jadethenidoran]

It's weird, but neat, that the alt builds use the unstickered versions. It makes sense for the plow, but the others seem like the stickers would still suit them well. Maybe the flames a little less so on the one with two horn pieces.

[@Maniac4Bricks]

With all the history, I almost need to hand the Bizarre LEGO title over to you :)

[@doursen]

I hope they bring back these types of wheels, there’s just something about them.

[@RRSlugger]

I love 'em! 😊

[@Matt..S]

Baseplates were the absolute best novelty things in sets ever. So much mass to build up upon when you don't have a gazillion same colored bricks to build just the terrain for a model.

[@jimbotron8552]

this video goes hard

[@CarsSimplified]

Another fantastic video, especially that intro! The Rock Raiders modular build on the mountain was an amusing touch, too. I had a few raised baseplates growing up but the crystal-y blue one is the only one I remember having for sure that didn't have studs. I imagine studless baseplates probably got thrown out more often than their stud-covered counterparts since it was less clear that they are lego. I remember reading someone commenting on another web site that Lego outsourced production of baseplates, possibly even to this day. Is that information you have come across (proving, disproving, or some middle ground) in your research? It came to mind because I remember that blue crystal baseplate being lower quality than I expected from Lego, even as a child. (The canyon here looks more sturdy, possibly even as sturdy as the raised baseplate with studs, so perhaps quality varies.)

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you! I think I’ve heard that rumour about baseplates before - nothing I saw personally proved/disproved it, though I think it’s plausible. The plastic peripherals I have are of decent quality - the cave, time machine, and rocky ridge playscape all are pretty solid. I’ve wanted to buy that blue aqua playscape for a while now, but every time I see one for sale some of the crystal “pillars” are crushed. 😭 I guess maybe that speaks to its quality… 😅

[@duplexidemic]

As someone who mostly works with the Life On Mars theme, and tries to stick with older parts/colors, this video may be a game changer. I've been working on a massively extended tube hanger system, which requires a ridiculous amount of martian terrain to properly rest on. The lack of large orange baseplates from lego has driven me insane in this regard. I also didn't know dark orange even existed when Life On Mars was still around, so I avoided using it in rock structures. I long brushed off this raised baseplate as useless due to its incompatibility, but seeing here that it has spaces for 2x2 bricks has really brought me around to it. I'll have to buy a couple and see how well they can be integrated into the larger martian landscape I've been putting together. So thanks for putting together this analysis of something so obscure, I would of remained totally ignorant of this piece's potential usefulness otherwise!

[@RRSlugger]

You’re very welcome! Is there anywhere a slug could go to check out your awesome Life On Mars builds? 👀

[@rolandshaw2084]

I have the green studless base plate you showed! I had always wondered if it actually came from Lego since it was so different!

[@cartervandenberg4771]

I always wanted these raised baseplates as a kid but sadly they were being phased out right around when I was growing up. Hopefully Lego brings them back one day.

[@ClassicStudStudios]

Why am I just finding this amazing channel now!?!, like this is such a interesting vibe for a series and I think I’m going to check out some more of your videos!:D Loved that little house moc btw, also I don’t know why but this channel reminds my lightly of a channel called SlugFilms, they make an amazing Atlantis series and I think you’d like it!, have a great day mate:)

[@RRSlugger]

Thank you - I’m glad you found your way here! ❤️ I think R.R. Slugger is one of KZbin’s better kept secrets; nonetheless, welcome to the club! 😊 There is a ton of back catalogue for you to go through, so I hope you enjoy! I keep in touch with SlugFilms - their Atlantis series is awesome! Killer voice acting.

[@ClassicStudStudios]

@@RRSlugger YES I AGREE! It’s so good!, I’ll be sure to check out your other videos!, Any you recommend I start with:o

[@RRSlugger]

@@ClassicStudStudios I think both the Birthday episode and 1,012 Subscriber Special are real winners and should give a good sense of what the channel is about! 😊 Feel free to leave comments or questions on videos as you go - the channel is still small enough that I can keep up to date with comments on most of my videos. ❤️

[@ClassicStudStudios]

@@RRSlugger will do😊 I know comments help people see the videos so I’ll be sure to make some!

[@RRSlugger]

@@ClassicStudStudios Thank you! No obligation, of course. I’m not out here trying to chase the algorithm or anything. 😊 Just enjoy the videos! And turn on an adblocker, if you can. 👍

[@AlexLorentzenloganjamesalex]

I have this set from when I was a kid, here in Canada. For some reason the arm holding up the spoiler came super loose, as well as the exhausts. So they have had a tough time staying at the proper angle since I was a kid

[@Bionickpunk]

I hope to see more mocists use the old studless baseplates in mocs, to the surprise of newer Lego audience when they realize it is just as Lego as a Scala doll was.

[@flamingbunnyrabbits]

My favorite studless baseplates were the ramps included in racing, movie studio, and xalax sets!

[@crimzon16]

Wow seems I had this one years ago and I didn't know it. My brother's old case of lego had a base plate and some of the parts from that set didn't know they went together.

[@MrComradebuttons]

not the green one with the basement and steps moulded!!! little simple to keep house in place that’s fantastic

[@seanhooper446]

It's very sad to see that baseplates are no longer a thing. You're right: they absolutely add size and scale to a set. This is one of my favourite aspects of sets from the 90s

[@sniffleblox2354]

I've always thought the Xtreme Team theme to be a very cool looking one with the minifigures and unique set designs. LEGO had so much variety of set design back then (in the time they almost went bankrupt). Having only gotten into LEGO about a decade after this time, I'm jealous of all those who experienced this era, and its raised baseplates! I'm a person who much prefers raised base plates and less detailed builds over the high brick-count baseplate-less builds we have now.

[@RRSlugger]

Indeed! There’s a new set coming out in the City theme this January that reminds me a lot of Extreme Team: set 60387. While maybe not as “cool” looking, I could definitely see myself picking this one up!

[@sniffleblox2354]

@@RRSlugger Yess, City is a theme that has been impressing me a lot recently, with the return of those sets built around road 'plates' (RIP), and the very cool and wacky Stuntz subtheme, that I know I would've adored even more when I was a kid.

[@AlonzoTompkins]

I used to have this as a kid.

[@Silverfishv9]

I had this, way back when I was little, or rather my grandfather bought it for me and my cousin to play with at his house. Sadly it's one of the pieces lost later during a move, but I always wondered exactly where it came from. Maybe I'll be able to get it again some day.

[@moriarteaa4692]

I love baseplates would be a cool Tshirt

[@djinnspalace2119]

so THATS what the R.R. stands for

[@RRSlugger]

😂😉