Searcher Posted January 19, 2011 In the past few months, Lego has been using the same general template for their action themes: (Ninjas, Power Miners, Atlantean Divers, Adventurers) must retrieve (Golden Weapons, Crystals, Atlantis Keys or Artifacts, Egyptian Artifacts) before (Skeletons, Rock Monsters, Atlantis Creatures, Mummies) get them and(sometimes) use them to (Destroy World, Awaken Amset-ra). Has anyone else noticed this, and do you think that more themes will be created using this template? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Enpaz Posted January 19, 2011 I actually noticed that too. There's always something to "collect" within a theme - but that's not a bad thing! What concers me is that TLG are more and more trying to attract kids by always including huge monsters in their sets! Nowadays there are no "realistic" or "sober" action sets anymore. This: has evolved into this: But they can't be blamed, of course. Lego is a toy. Cheers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ziljin Posted January 19, 2011 This also applies to Historic and Space. For historic they had Vikings vs monsters instead of say Vikings pillaging (and the other ing) poor English peasants. And Crown Knights and Dwarves vs Skeletons and Trolls. But with Kingdoms they returned to Humans vs Humans. And Space, they used to have humans as the good guys, bad guys, and possibly neutral guys. Then they had the various aliens as the bad guys ever since. There is a informative post about it somewhere here on Eurobricks. IIRC it was History of Lego Space or was it history of Lego in general. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willdog Posted January 20, 2011 I recently entered a the writing task for TLG in which they asked us for ideas for new themes. They did ask that we adhere to certain guidelines like, "A clear distinction between good and evil." etc... There are reasons that the stories are so simple and derivative of one another. It does get annoying sometimes but they do have to cater for children as well as AFOLs. They did ask us if we could create a theme which was vehicle based. Just wait until 2013, they might just use one of the action themes I or one of the other candidates submitted. I guarantee they will please your appetite for originality. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wowplayer Posted January 20, 2011 I recently entered a the writing task for TLG in which they asked us for ideas for new themes. They did ask that we adhere to certain guidelines like, "A clear distinction between good and evil." etc... There are reasons that the stories are so simple and derivative of one another. It does get annoying sometimes but they do have to cater for children as well as AFOLs. They did ask us if we could create a theme which was vehicle based. Just wait until 2013, they might just use one of the action themes I or one of the other candidates submitted. I guarantee they will please your appetite for originality. 2013!!! Why must I wait so long... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peppermint_M Posted January 20, 2011 Formula, or Tropes are used in all stories. As it stands, the tropes for Action themes are all very similar from "era" to "era". That is how they were classified as Action Themes here on the forum (I'll have to check the Lego Book, to see what TLG call these non-evergreen themes). The basic tropes are popular for role-play among small children so the latest short theme will follow those lines and be called an Action Theme (for ease of organisation) here on EB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willdog Posted January 20, 2011 2013!!! Why must I wait so long... Ha ha, I guess Lego already have 2012 far enough in the works. They seem like the company that has their future planned out carefully. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mugbearer Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) Kids always needs someone as a Hero (they must be mega-cool without fail) and someone those Heroes must defeat to prove their toughness. But for the ones who are older it isn't enough. There always must be very powerful artifact. And in which hands this artifact lies has an influence to what happend with this world. Rarely Heroes also needs someone to protect. The race for artifact causes lots of stories, relations between characters. It generates traitors, unexpected allies e.t.c. Action Theme must be like good old adventure movie: it must make kids invent their own, additional storylines and characters, thereby they are expand and extend the world of Lego Theme. If you can remember, first Bionicles also has such an Action Theme feature: Toa looked for Masks and fights evil Rahi to protect Matoran and Turaga. Edit: If only TLG could produce and cyberpunk action theme... Edited January 20, 2011 by -N13OS- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted January 20, 2011 This also applies to Historic and Space. Yeah. This isn't a LEGO centric issue. Sad to say, to me most stories (books, movies, games) are just variants of an older one... or maybe I'm just getting old. Edit: If only TLG could produce and cyberpunk action theme... I'd like that too. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Mugbearer Posted January 20, 2011 are just variants of an older one.. In our world it is very hard to invent something new. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
neosmosis Posted January 20, 2011 In our world it is very hard to invent something new. SIMPSONS DID IT! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joebot Posted January 20, 2011 (edited) I recently entered a the writing task for TLG in which they asked us for ideas for new themes. They did ask that we adhere to certain guidelines like, "A clear distinction between good and evil." etc... There are reasons that the stories are so simple and derivative of one another. It does get annoying sometimes but they do have to cater for children as well as AFOLs. They did ask us if we could create a theme which was vehicle based. Just wait until 2013, they might just use one of the action themes I or one of the other candidates submitted. I guarantee they will please your appetite for originality. Yeah, I participated in that project too. TLC has a very cut-and-dried formula that they used for these Action Themes. I actually found it very confining when I sat down to try to write up some new theme ideas. The formula is a lot of marketing-speak, which can stifle creativity or originality. To their credit, they've managed to come up with some fun ideas within those strict boundaries. For example, I thought the Agents theme was pretty great. To the majority of kids who play with Lego sets, then grow out of it, they won't notice the repetition because they'll have moved onto other interests. For us AFOLs who have been at this for 30+ years, we see the repetition over the years, and it can be somewhat disappointing. Edited January 20, 2011 by Joebot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Still Raindrop Posted January 20, 2011 I thought we weren't supposed to talk about the writing process we did for LEGO . . . wasn't that what the NDA and the other sheet were for? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Willdog Posted January 20, 2011 I thought we weren't supposed to talk about the writing process we did for LEGO . . . wasn't that what the NDA and the other sheet were for? I'm pretty sure that is just the ideas themselves. So we don't go off writing children books or something with the same ideas we submitted. The process doesn't really give away much about anything. Except how far TLG plan ahead with their themes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ceroknight Posted January 21, 2011 2013!!! Why must I wait so long... If we survive 2012 This is actually very interesting, I don't have an opinion (yet) since this never occurred to me but I would like to see what others think Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ziljin Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) Yeah. This isn't a LEGO centric issue. Sad to say, to me most stories (books, movies, games) are just variants of an older one... or maybe I'm just getting old. Yea but other stories at least they have the possibilities of blurring the line of good and evil, but those are mostly "adult" stories. They do less of that for recent Lego themes. But I can see their point, they are a primarily a children's toys company. So it would not be a good idea to give the impression that being bad can sometimes be good. So that would be why they would move towards more pure good vs pure evil themes. Which probably means future historic themes would be mythology based. For example Greeks vs Cyclops and minotaurs, instead of Greeks vs Macedonians, Romans, Persians, etc. Edited January 21, 2011 by lego40k Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gryphon Ink Posted January 21, 2011 Actually one of the things that I appreciated in the TLG story submission process was that they did NOT ask for stories where there is a clear Good/Evil conflict: they simply asked for stories where there is a clear conflict. Power Miners is a good example of a story where the conflict is clear, but not a matter of good and evil. The Miners and the monsters both want the crystals. The miners need them for power. The monsters need them because they are their food source. Kids can go wherever they want to with this skeleton story. They can even have the two sides resolving their conflict peacefully, if they want to. I have noticed this tendency for the Lego stories to turn into "fetch quests" in the last couple of years. Collect the golden weapons, collect the keys to Atlantis, collect the pharaoh's artifacts. It's been happening a lot. But I actually think it was just a coincidence that this happened in three themes at once. It doesn't seem to happen in Alien Conquest. TLG do have triggers that they know can be used to sell sets, and they obviously like to see these triggers used in new themes. Companies the size of TLG don't stay around by ignoring obvious market trends. They know their one biggest market segment is 8-year-old boys. This isn't an opinion, it's a fact that they've found over decades of working in the business. So their action themes are marketed to that group. They would not be smart to ignore the things that 8YO boys like. Kids like things like robots, vehicles, and giant insects, so it's a pretty safe bet there's going to be a robot, a cool vehicle, or a giant insect in most Lego action sets. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lordofdragonss Posted January 21, 2011 I have noticed this tendency for the Lego stories to turn into "fetch quests" in the last couple of years. Collect the golden weapons, collect the keys to Atlantis, collect the pharaoh's artifacts. It's been happening a lot. But I actually think it was just a coincidence that this happened in three themes at once. It doesn't seem to happen in Alien Conquest. Collect all humans of course! You have tottaly right. But there are some hints to show who are the bad guys in theme- like captured princess, angry faces... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rumble Strike Posted January 21, 2011 The themes these days involve many good guy/bad guy archetypes, and it makes sense to have opposing factions as conflict drives storytelling. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ziljin Posted January 22, 2011 Actually one of the things that I appreciated in the TLG story submission process was that they did NOT ask for stories where there is a clear Good/Evil conflict: they simply asked for stories where there is a clear conflict. Power Miners is a good example of a story where the conflict is clear, but not a matter of good and evil. The Miners and the monsters both want the crystals. The miners need them for power. The monsters need them because they are their food source. Kids can go wherever they want to with this skeleton story. They can even have the two sides resolving their conflict peacefully, if they want to. Maybe, but humans vs non-humans is more clear cut than humans vs humans. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Siegfried Posted January 22, 2011 Yea but other stories at least they have the possibilities of blurring the line of good and evil, but those are mostly "adult" stories. They do less of that for recent Lego themes. Yeah, from my experience kids have problems accepting stories like that. The good guys must be really good, the bad guys must be really bad, and the heroes win with minimum loss of life. Star Wars A New Hope is a good example of that; Darth is faceless and black, clearly evil, and the storm troopers are faceless. The only major death is Obi Wan, and he keeps on talking regardless! It doesn't really bother me from LEGO point of view, but I do prefer stories with "grey" characters. (To me Stephen R. Donaldson's Gap Cycle is one of the finest example of this.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
