Mister Phes

The Latest World City Sets

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Two - the number of <insert that tiresome argument> pieces in World City; they were infamous for it. I therefore think they'll stick with City.

Elaborate upon what you mean by "<insert that tiresome argument>"

Does this imply some of pieces were extremely big or another name for a "specialist" piece.

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Juniorization is the use of a small amount of pieces, most of which are large. World City used the 2x6 wedges and the large curved windows to great extent, and tried to look futuristic. This gave it a very <insert that tiresome argument> feel. The City sets are a HUGE improvement.

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I think models can be PART of a story.  That's how I played with LEGO when I was a toddler - I'd build things, and give them a backstory.

Agreed! It is working very well with the Bionicle line. (I however hate Bionicles)

I think the storytelling capacity of things such as KK2 and Alpha Team is very limited.  However, lines like City and the new Star Wars are HUGE steps in the right direction. 

The Alpha Team line does limit imagination more than the other sets but KK2 and the rest of the new line seem to have no limits. Children can also build whatever they want with the Alpha sets but I understand your point.

All of them are great for alternate models.  As for the lack of alternates on the boxes, I think that's good - it leaves more up to the imagination.

I have to disagree. Anymore children do not seem to have an imagination, at least here in the US. Children and parents always ask if instructions for the alternative models are available in the box or online. When you tell them they are just ideas the parents get upset but the kids seem like they want to see if they can mimic the picture. Kids are still not using their imagination because they are using an already made pic of a MOC to build from but it is a start in the right direction. If the ideas were not on the box I think most kids would not try to build anything else. We also get many guest asking us what type of glue we recommend for the models because there kids want to keep their fire trucks in one piece.

Parents are only deterring creativity and imagination by gluing the sets. It is very upsetting to know parents are the main reason why children are not using their creativity anymore. Video games do not help and have been hurting the toy industry as a whole but we must remember that the parents are buying the games in the first place.

I had video games and Lego when I was a child but my parents believed in a good balance and also would build with us. Parents today just seem like they buy video games to have electronic babysitters.

Very few customs I talk to say they actually build with their children. Most say they do not have the time to do so or say

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This is why I liked the Universal Sets from the past and sets that don't always have such specialized pieces. For building, I like to just use standard pieces. It doesn't limit you to the set your buying. But even the tubs now have so many colors and just a few of the same piece, they're not real good either.

I liked the classic 80s town sets which gave you a lot of building opportunity with enough pieces for walls and numerous large plates for floors and roofs.

Agree greatly with Orlego's comments re. imagination and alternate models. Some of the best sets that we made as kids were made from bags of pieces from numerous sets (I remember dragsters, chariots, pyramids, a wild west town, submarines, and space ships to name a few). We wished we had Lego Star Wars in the day, and made what we could out of standard pieces.

Kids are losing the imagination because we give them action figures, electronic toys, and video games in cool packaging that quickly find their way to the toy box. Building Lego together for hours was fun and changed everytime you built something - this is quality.

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I don't really like the over use of the word juniorisation... Please don't make our board look like this other forum...

The sets have always been <insert that tiresome argument>. It was the case, even during the classic space periode, with those giant blue domes.

I think the fact is that most people have a biaised opinion on how sets were before. If you look at some old space sets, it might just make you throwing up instantly.

I much prefer the town sets we get today comparred to the old ones. I really think the use of 6 studs instead of 4 is better for the vehicules and I think that if lego now release shops and houses with the design they used in the 2005 year, it can only be great :)

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Parents are only deterring creativity and imagination by gluing the sets. It is very upsetting to know parents are the main reason why children are not using their creativity anymore. Video games do not help and have been hurting the toy industry as a whole but we must remember that the parents are buying the games in the first place.

I had video games and Lego when I was a child but my parents believed in a good balance and also would build with us. Parents today just seem like they buy video games to have electronic babysitters.

Very few customs I talk to say they actually build with their children. Most say they do not have the time to do so or say

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come to think of it, i've never seen children being interested in the Pick a bricks we've got here from time to time. at best they put their hand in box and see what's going on, but that's it... It's as if they really need a box and a model(s) (and instructions too) to get started with being creative... I've always thought that these pick a bricks were more attractive to adults. it seems you guys have come up with a possible explanation for that.

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I don't really like the over use of the word juniorisation... Please don't make our board look like this other forum...

Now what could that other forum could possibly be?

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I don't really like the over use of the word juniorisation... Please don't make our board look like this other forum...

Now what could that other forum could possibly be?

Are you.... insinuating something?

Yeah, kids are pretty distracted by video games and such these days. Still, no use in complaining about it; it's done. I think LEGO, in light of the lessened interest, should stop trying to appeal to kids so much (coughGALIDORJACKSTONE4JUNIORScough) and make larger, more detailed models. It would make tons by way of AFOLs, to be sure.

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But AFOLs have more to spend - besides, are larger, more detailed models a deterrent for the younger children? I'd think it'd be an incentive.

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well young children need models that are made for them : not an ARC fighter that falls appart. Not speaking of an isd. The models we had 10 years ago were solid? Add greeblies the childs will lost all the parts :-D

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All what young children want are violent games and stupid consoles. They have no imgination left. Give them LEGO pieces and the first thing they'll try is eat them...then maybe make a gun and kill you.

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AFOL including myself have to realize that these are still TOYS. When they stop becoming toys intended for children first, then that will be a sad state of affairs. I think overall, Lego does a pretty good job at providing a balance to the various markets. Sure, I'd like to see more trains, city, and detailed Star Wars sets, but we're only one part of the market and should understand that LEGO is a toy company.

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Would it be so bad if LEGO became toys intended for adults? Afterall, its another form of modelling which seems to have a stronger emphasis towards adults than it does towards children.

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Would it be so bad if LEGO became toys intended for adults? Afterall, its another form of modelling which seems to have a stronger emphasis towards adults than it does towards children.

But there are MORE children into LEGO. Unfortunately.

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Would it be so bad if LEGO became toys intended for adults?  Afterall, its another form of modelling which seems to have a stronger emphasis towards adults than it does towards children.

But there are MORE children into LEGO. Unfortunately.

the fact that lego is a toy for kids shouldn't prevent the company from doing something for us as well...

let's not forget this: there's far more potential in the adult's segment than in the kid's section.

let's put this relationship adults-kids like this:

8/10 boys buy lego

how many adults out of ten buy lego, you think? 1 out of 100? 1000? 10000?

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Would it be so bad if LEGO became toys intended for adults?  Afterall, its another form of modelling which seems to have a stronger emphasis towards adults than it does towards children.

But there are MORE children into LEGO. Unfortunately.

the fact that lego is a toy for kids shouldn't prevent the company from doing something for us as well...

let's not forget this: there's far more potential in the adult's segment than in the kid's section.

let's put this relationship adults-kids like this:

8/10 boys buy lego

how many adults out of ten buy lego, you think? 1 out of 100? 1000? 10000?

Sounds depressing worded like that.

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When you say how 1 out of X adults buy LEGO

Do you mean for themselves or for children?

I'm guessing it would be like 1 out of 10,000, though I bet thats more than it was say 10 years ago, and probably not as much as it will be in another 10 years.

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When you say how 1 out of X adults buy LEGO

Do you mean for themselves or for children?

I'm guessing it would be like 1 out of 10,000, though I bet thats more than it was say 10 years ago, and probably not as much as it will be in another 10 years.

for themselves obviously...

8/10 boys buy by lego, means children and adults buying lego for boys (kids)

1 out of X Adults, means 1 afol buying lego for him/herself

i know it doesn't sound very positive for us, afols, but it surely explains why we're not really priority number 1 for TLC

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No, it probably isn't.

But there are companies that cater for both children and adult markets. Hasbro for example re-releases one or a set of their classic Transformers each month as a collectors edition. They also have a line called "Alternators" which are highly detailed transformable scale models of current vehicles (such as the Mazda RX-8 or the Subaru IMPREZA), obviously intended for a mature market by the nature of their design.

Hasbro seems to be more proactive in supporting their older consumers than LEGO is currently.

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