791 replies to this topic

[CM4S]

Hey look, another college mascot project

LEGO® CUUSOO | Classic Albert Mascot from the University of Florida

-Sci

[just2good]

CM4S, on 26 October 2012 - 08:22 PM, said:

Hey look, another college mascot project

LEGO® CUUSOO | Classic Albert Mascot from the University of Florida

-Sci

Surprisingly, even though I'm from Florida, not much of my family would support this. Now, if they made an Florida State University Seminole project, HOLY CRAP, more than half of my whole family I know would support the FSU project.

Edited by just2good, 26 October 2012 - 08:29 PM.

[Faefrost]

CM4S, on 26 October 2012 - 08:22 PM, said:

Hey look, another college mascot project

LEGO® CUUSOO | Classic Albert Mascot from the University of Florida

-Sci

And so it begins...

[TheLegoDr]

People figure, why not. One mascot reached the goal vote count, so why not another? This gator actually looks really well done also. Very fitting for LEGO brick. I like how they did the teeth/mouth area and the tail. We'll see what happens. I'm sure this won't be the last mascot project. Since I'm from Nebraska, maybe I should make a Herbie Husker and put that up!

Actually he looks a lot like that LEGO mascot that was just featured on the front page, only with some slight modifications.

Edited by TheLegoDr, 27 October 2012 - 08:44 PM.

[Spider-Man]

Anybody else starting to get really annoyed that this last review has taken so long? I am starting to feel like this whole CUUSOO experiment has been a flop

[Faefrost]

Spider-Man, on 05 November 2012 - 04:32 AM, said:

Anybody else starting to get really annoyed that this last review has taken so long? I am starting to feel like this whole CUUSOO experiment has been a flop

This was really the first time they have bumped into any real major licensing issues to deal with. Prior to this the only ones they had were small vanity licenses like the Japanese sub and Minecraft. That's a world of difference from BTTF or Zelda.

[Spider-Man]

I understand that, but don't you think it has been just a little too long? I mean they have come out to say that they will have news soon a couple of times and still nothing.

[PsyKater]

No, I think this time is normal for licensing issues. Normally this would take rather years than weeks. But communication could be better. They could release at least some of the Review results. But perhaps this decision is based on the licensing issues (for example they try to get the BTTF licence for the car, if that fails, the Modular Western will come otherwise not).

[ShaydDeGrai]

PsyKater, on 05 November 2012 - 03:12 PM, said:

No, I think this time is normal for licensing issues. Normally this would take rather years than weeks. But communication could be better. They could release at least some of the Review results. But perhaps this decision is based on the licensing issues (for example they try to get the BTTF licence for the car, if that fails, the Modular Western will come otherwise not).

Even Modular Western could be, indirectly, running up against licensing issues.  I think the idea is great and I'd definitely buy them if produced, but there may be a snag with the upcoming Lone Ranger line.  The same way that Castle was put on hold for LOTR and Pirates has been (temporarily) shelved in favor of Pirates of the Caribbean, MB's Western Town modulars may be stuck in limbo due to contractual obligations with Disney.  TLG may not have the option of producing "competing" western themed sets and/or they may not want to cannibalize their own revenue stream on a theme licensed from a third party.

This is purely a guess on my part, but a guess based on past precedents.

If Modular Western Town does fail for such reasons, I think it will be a real black mark on CuuSoo's record.  It already seems like people's enthusiasm for CuuSoo is waning (maybe this is just a false impression since they cleaned up the activity feed streams to cut down on the spam-feeds).  Good ideas are languishing in the Hell of Forgotten Projects, fewer new projects are showing up, new part proposals seem dead on arrival and licensed themes are getting vetoed as being too out of date or inappropriate for little kids.  

If a viable, original idea gets shot down because of something like the Lone Ranger contract, it will really take the "wish" aspect out of CuuSoo.  Instead of asking the crowd "What would _you_ like TLG to produce?" the implied question becomes "What can you come up with that doesn't conflict (or could be construed as conflicting) with anything we currently sell or plan to sell, that isn't licensed off an IP with more than a PG rating or is currently held by someone else, that doesn't require us to make new molds, is recent enough to be popular but not so much of a fad such that it will still be popular a year and a half from now when the product finally hits the shelves and priced realistically with respect to current sets with similar piece and mini-figure counts?"

It kinda makes you wonder if CuuSoo is really about proposing fresh ideas that will be taken seriously or about TLG creating a new channel to get fans to promote the brand on Facebook, Twitter and in personal blogs.

[PsyKater]

Good points!

[BrickG]

Meh, I don't like the points.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to not do a Western Town if you have a license that's already western enough.  I also don't think it diminishes LegoCuusoo at all.  It makes logical sense.

Heck, I'm surprised they're willing to have TWO Ninja themes next year.  Ninjago and Ninja Turtles.  Seems like one of those will bit into the other one.  Why compete with yourself?



That said, I'm pretty sure it's either LoZ or BttF at this point (rumors are it's BttF).  They're the only licenses that would cause this issue (most likely) and delays.  I do not expect them to announce anything until they're 100% sure that a project will be done.  It would be terrible media to say "hey, we're trying to get the Legend of Zelda Lego sets!" then get everyone's hopes up only to later say "whoops we couldn't agree on a contract!"...  That would be damaging.

[PsyKater]

No, but they could say: "Hey, we put / put not the Western Town in the pipeline for production!" They could even say that they decide on the (chronological) order later on, as there MAY be other projects that will be put in the pipeline.

[just2good]

If I was Cuusoo, I would of totally released the Modular Western thing in September or October. Now, when they release it, it will take up a quarterly set space.
And, I don't think it will have a conflict with the Lone Ranger sets. Look at the Kingdoms Joust from January of this year. It came out a couple months before LOTR. But, now it may be a bit too late to not cause conflict with the Lone Ranger.

[IAmWillGibson]

Dudes, I'm just happy my new idea got 20 supports in the first day. That's, like, a record for me. Now, I know those are the only 20 supports it will ever get, but it still made for a happy yesterday. And I also know there's no hope of a 600+ piece LEGO Game ever being made, but still.

I feel that there should be a sub-Cuusoo for licensed [or at least Star Wars] suggestions. They just bog the place down like crazy sometimes.

[RoxYourBlox]

I agree on ShaydDeGrai's points.  However, my worry is not that great ideas wouldn't reach production; it's that great ideas will be noticed within Lego, who would have more than a year to develop a similar idea before the vast majority of Cuusoo projects have a shot at reaching 10,000.  If/when the Cuusoo project would hit the 10k mark, then Lego could reject it based on grounds that it is too similar to their set.

I don't think this is Lego Cuusoo's intention, but I do think they need to do more on their end to make this process less restrictive to the "average Joe" (i.e., less about having a friend in a convenient place and more focus on the idea).

Edited by RoxYourBlox, 06 November 2012 - 06:12 PM.

[-N13OS-]

Um... I just want to ask: would it be okay if I will post here a link to collaborative project in which I have took part? Or it is restricted by rules?

[Spider-Man]

I am pretty sure the rules are that you can post links here and ask people to take a look, but can't harass people for support. So post away

[-N13OS-]

Okay. =)

So, I am helping Glen Bricker with his The Ur-Quan Masters project. I just thought that this will be great idea to make an official thread on EuroBricks and post here links to see people's reaction! So check both links out and I hope you'll like what we made.

Edited by -N13OS-, 07 November 2012 - 01:21 AM.

[Luke_likes_Lego]

Question:

ShaydDeGrai, on 05 November 2012 - 04:57 PM, said:

"What would _you_ like TLG to produce?" the implied question becomes "What can you come up with that doesn't conflict (or could be construed as conflicting) with anything we currently sell or plan to sell, that isn't licensed off an IP with more than a PG rating or is currently held by someone else, that doesn't require us to make new molds, is recent enough to be popular but not so much of a fad such that it will still be popular a year and a half from now when the product finally hits the shelves and priced realistically with respect to current sets with similar piece and mini-figure counts?"

Answer:
Answer:   A cattle car !!! Ain't she sweet?    http://lego.cuusoo.c...deas/view/30095       Thanks for voting !
.

Edited by Luke_likes_Lego, 08 November 2012 - 09:56 AM.

[Bricktooth]

I don't think the Modular Western Town would conflict with the Lone Ranger line, because if they produce it, it would surely be a D2C set, and I don't think there will be a Lone Ranger set in that price category, so it wouldn't be a competition to that line.

[IAmWillGibson]

I'm hoping to become the first D2C LEGO Game. Is such a thing possible? Highly unlikely, but it's fun to dream.

[Another Brick In The Wall]

BrickG, on 06 November 2012 - 11:47 AM, said:

Meh, I don't like the points.

I think it's perfectly reasonable to not do a Western Town if you have a license that's already western enough.

I think that you are conflating two different and distinct arguments:
(1) The Lone Ranger license may be granted on the proviso TLG does not produce a competing Western range.  
(2) One Western theme is sufficient.

(1) is arguable from the pov it may impinge brand recognition. But (2) lacks merit because it is unlikely they will both be directed at the same demographic. E.g. Lego City and Town Modulars are marketed to two different  segments.

Edited by Another Brick In The Wall, 12 November 2012 - 01:32 AM.

[IAmWillGibson]

I don't think the Western Town and Lone Ranger need to compete with one another. A simple method would be to not include Minifigures in the CUUSOO release. It's no longer a "competing Western Range" nor need it be a "Western theme."  It's a structure. A well-designed and attractive [one would hope] building that, yes, happens to represent a Saloon of some sort.

On the other hand, though, LEGO could have done this with the Haunted House but didn't, instead specifically tying it in with Monster Fighters. Although that may have just been so they COULD include the Minifigures.

[Faefrost]

Might they not simply release the Western Town in the same way they did for the MF Haunted House? As a D2C add on? In this case for the Lone Ranger line? I think we can safely assume that any LR movie will include a typical Western town and Saloon. Pink skin the Minifigs, change the signage and presto. Ready made exclusive.

[ShaydDeGrai]

Faefrost, on 12 November 2012 - 06:52 PM, said:

Might they not simply release the Western Town in the same way they did for the MF Haunted House? As a D2C add on? In this case for the Lone Ranger line? I think we can safely assume that any LR movie will include a typical Western town and Saloon. Pink skin the Minifigs, change the signage and presto. Ready made exclusive.

I think it would all boil down to legalese, lawyers and perceptions.  This whole discussion is based on random supposition in that we don't know the details of the deal that TLG has with Disney, but some possible scenarios are:

A) a clause that says don't release anything that _might be construed_ as competing with Lone Ranger Sets (it's not a question of who the target audience is, it's a question of whether a 6 year old might nag his father for the "wrong" set when they were "supposed" to be buying the Disney kit);

B) a clause that says Disney gets X% off the top of any set _perceived_ to be related to Lone Ranger (in which case they'd need to price it like a licensed set to give both Disney and Marshall their cuts, which might make the whole thing less viable for them); or,

C) in the CuuSoo redesign, they _DO_ make it look like sets from the movie and brand it/price it as Lone Ranger (at which point why pay MB anything, as they can claim it isn't HIS western town anymore it was patterned after the movie)

Now maybe we're just too quick to think the worst of things; maybe TLG thinks both lines are independent and financially viable, maybe Disney doesn't care what else TLG has on the shelves next to Lone Ranger kits.  Then again, as I recall, Disney was a major player/spender in having US intellectual property law rewritten to prevent Mickey Mouse from reverting into the public domain and, after buying the Muppets tried to sue Columbia university over an open source file transfer program called Kermit claiming that use of the name (which predated their ownership of the Muppets by years) diluted their trademark.

I suppose it also, technically, possible that Modular Western Town could fail to pass muster for (stated) reasons entirely unrelated to Disney or the upcoming Lone Ranger theme, but if that is the case I think a lot of people with really start to lose faith in the whole CuuSoo concept.  A lot of people have spent a lot of time putting together proposals, promoting projects and, in general, sending slews of web traffic in Lego's direction at very little (by comparison) expense to them and to date, the AFOL community's return on investment has been token offerings at best (Minecraft doesn't count as it ws _this_ close to being licensed to begin with, Shinkai 6500 only had to get to 1,000 votes not 10,000 and that leaves us with one 359 piece kit or roughly one marketed brick for every ten projects proposed to date.)

Again this is all based on a lot of supposition, but if the Modular Western Town doesn't make it, I think TLG is going to have to give the AFOL community a very good very good reason as to why, and an even better explanation as to why we should continue to care about CuuSoo in general.