The Brick Frontier General Discussion

[Sven J]

Hi @Jim,

First of all: Thank you for widening the range of EB and allowing alt-brick brands from now on. I feel this can open new perspectives and also bring new users to EB.

However, there are things that aren't clear for me, and possibly for others, too:

• You gave a list of alt-brands above. Is that list exclusive? To me, it seems that only set manufacturers are listed. What about companies that sell single parts (Q-Bricks, Gobricks, Wange)? Also, e.g. Mattel is missing.
• What about hybrid MOCs that use mainly Lego, but a few alt-brand parts? Where do they have to go?
• BuWizz is listed as alt-brand part. Does that mean that any Lego MOC powered by a BuWizz has to fo to the new section now?

Sorry for asking so many questions, but I really feel they should be addressed, so as to avoid confusion for forum users.

Thanks again for your great work here!

Best regards,
Sven

[Jim]

Hi,

Forgot to lock the Index, so I have split this question into a new topic.

It's definitely not an exclusive list. We will expand the list.

3 minutes ago, Sven J said:

What about hybrid MOCs that use mainly Lego, but a few alt-brand parts? Where do they have to go?

That is a difficult topic. Not really sure to be honest. this is something we still need to find out.

4 minutes ago, Sven J said:

• BuWizz is listed as alt-brand part. Does that mean that any Lego MOC powered by a BuWizz has to fo to the new section now?

 

BuWizz has always been an allowed brand to post in Technic. I guess we can keep it that way.

[Jack Sassy]

Ah, good to see the new forums in motion! Thank ye @Jim!  (Though I be not the primary audience).

12 minutes ago, Sven J said:

What about hybrid MOCs that use mainly Lego, but a few alt-brand parts? Where do they have to go?

We did discuss that one before and it seems quite often MOCs incorporate these parts, even if one cannot tell it. Do ye mean MOCs with elements exclusive to the other companies?

12 minutes ago, Jim said:

That is a difficult topic. Not really sure to be honest. this is something we still need to find out.

I do believe such MOCs should stay in the respective forums (I happen to recall an example on the Pirate MOCs forum). We could make a distinction regarding the individual elements, but that would create confusion among the builders. 

[Sven J]

1 minute ago, Jack Sassy said:

Do ye mean MOCs with elements exclusive to the other companies?

Not only, but I mean such MOCs, too, yes.

[Jack Sassy]

Just now, Sven J said:

Not only, but I mean such MOCs, too, yes.

So I see. I would be in favour of having MOCs that heavily use such elements to be in this forum, however we cannot really control how people decide which MOC should be posted in which forum.  

[Jim]

6 minutes ago, Jack Sassy said:

So I see. I would be in favour of having MOCs that heavily use such elements to be in this forum, however we cannot really control how people decide which MOC should be posted in which forum.  

The part "heavily use such elements" is exactly the point. When that's the case, the MOCs needs to be here.

When the MOC uses a battery box and 99% is LEGO, it can probably be posted in the respective forum.

[Dazzzy]

First off, thank you @Jim and the rest of the Eurobricks staff, for opening up new sections of the forum to alt brands! 

In regards to the questions regarding MOCs, I can see it being a bit of a tough one to decide/resolve. 

Personally I would like to see all MOCs that use alternative  brand parts, (regardless of the ratio to LEGO parts used), in the alt-brands section.  That way it stops any confusion to people viewing the LEGO sections of the site.  I know many may disagree with it, but by doing that it should help flesh out this part of the forum more. 

[2GodBDGlory]

55 minutes ago, Sven J said:

• What about hybrid MOCs that use mainly Lego, but a few alt-brand parts? Where do they have to go?

I would very much hope that we would still be able to post those in their respective theme forums. I regularly build Technic MOCs with maybe one unique clone battery, 95% original Lego parts, and 5% parts that are direct clones of Lego parts, but if we had a rule that would force those models into this forum, it would hardly feel worth posting them anymore. I really want my models to be a part of the Technic forum, as they always have been, and would be very frustrated if forum updates that were ostensibly meant to open up somewhat to clone brands resulted in me having to purge my collection of all clone parts to remain a part of the Technic forum!

[Jim]

1 hour ago, Dazzzy said:

Personally I would like to see all MOCs that use alternative  brand parts, (regardless of the ratio to LEGO parts used), in the alt-brands section.  That way it stops any confusion to people viewing the LEGO sections of the site.  I know many may disagree with it, but by doing that it should help flesh out this part of the forum more. 

That is how I see it too. With some exceptions. In Technic is quite normal to use third party battery boxes etc.

41 minutes ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

I would very much hope that we would still be able to post those in their respective theme forums. I regularly build Technic MOCs with maybe one unique clone battery, 95% original Lego parts, and 5% parts that are direct clones of Lego parts, but if we had a rule that would force those models into this forum, it would hardly feel worth posting them anymore. I really want my models to be a part of the Technic forum, as they always have been, and would be very frustrated if forum updates that were ostensibly meant to open up somewhat to clone brands resulted in me having to purge my collection of all clone parts to remain a part of the Technic forum!

I agree on this one. Technic always has been a unique breed, so let's keep it that way.

[Sven J]

1 hour ago, Jim said:

The part "heavily use such elements" is exactly the point. When that's the case, the MOCs needs to be here.

When the MOC uses a battery box and 99% is LEGO, it can probably be posted in the respective forum.

15 minutes ago, Jim said:

That is how I see it too.

Huh? What is actually valid now? "Heavy use of such elements" or "regardless of the ratio"?
Now I'm even more confused.
 

15 minutes ago, Jim said:

agree on this one. Technic always has been a unique breed, so let's keep it that way.

The same for trains. And I suppose alt-brand parts have been used to a limited extent in other theme subforums as well, so the following statement does apply for more than Technic:

57 minutes ago, 2GodBDGlory said:

would be very frustrated if forum updates that were ostensibly meant to open up somewhat to clone brands resulted in me having to purge my collection of all clone parts to remain a part

Edited yesterday at 12:30 PM by Sven J

[Jim]

3 minutes ago, Sven J said:

Huh? What is actually valid now? "Heavy use of such elements" or "regardless of the ratio"?
Now I'm confused even more.

If a MOC used like 90% of Clone brand parts, it probably belongs in this forum.

But I am not sure how this works in the Train forum, so I am not the one to judge.

[2GodBDGlory]

4 hours ago, Jim said:

I agree on this one. Technic always has been a unique breed, so let's keep it that way.

I'd appreciate that!

[General Magma]

Alt brand MOCs, as a whole, would be nice to just be able to put in the respective theme forums. If need be, an idea I mentioned in the discussion topic before, there could be a section for alt brands under each theme forum.
So, for example, under Historical Themes, you'd get this new separate alt brand section somewhere next to the Guilds of Historica one.

[Yperio_Bricks]

Just to get the terminology right, 'Alternative Brick Brands', is that what is called a forum? And 'The Brick Frontier' is a sub-forum?

I actually think there could be a general moc forum at the level of The Brick Frontier and CaDa. But that is just my personal preference. I just think it would look much better and would be easier and faster to use than several moc-sub-sub-forums under each Lego theme.

[aFrInati0n]

I believe the main level is called "Category" and everything beneath is considered a "Forum" by the terms of the forum software.

• A category has no own content, but can only have items nested in it.
• In difference a Forum can have contents + subforums nested.

if that helps

[Yperio_Bricks]

4 minutes ago, aFrInati0n said:

I believe the main level is called "Category" and everything beneath is considered a "Forum" by the terms of the forum software.

• A category has no own content, but can only have items nested in it.
• In difference a Forum can have contents + subforums nested.

if that helps

Thanks! That makes sense. Never had a name for the 'Category' level and it was so hard to talk about the forum structure without being sure what everybody understands is as a forum or sub-forum.

[General Magma]

What I mean is more like what Guilds of Historia is in the Historical Themes forum.

[aFrInati0n]

2 hours ago, General Magma said:

If need be, an idea I mentioned in the discussion topic before, there could be a section for alt brands under each theme forum.

I personally like the idea for them being nested within the original theme, without having a duplicated place with similar name in another category.. But my personal opinion may not matter much. 

[Yperio_Bricks]

Wouldn't the visibility higher when there would be one dedicated alt-brick moc forum instead of many smaller sub-forums? Probably I am wrong but I am a little bit afraid that only very few people click on these very specific sub-forums like the ones for the various RPGs. But, yeah, Pirate MOCs is doing well, so what do it know 

[aFrInati0n]

I am just sure of being unsure of the best option... 

[Sven J]

Well, as I just wrote in another topic, the new alt-brands subforum/category/whatever already starts to feel cluttered for me (but I admit that I'm a bit oversensitive in that regard).
A bit of thematic structuring would be greatly appreciated... And while I personally prefer @aFrInati0n's idea of alt-brand models "being nested within the original theme, without having a duplicated place with similar name in another category", I understand that may not reflect the opinion of the majority of users.

Edited 23 hours ago by Sven J

[aFrInati0n]

If it would be nested AltBrand Forums within already existing structure, I would believe there may be some effect possible for LEGO purists to try out the Alt Brand subforum, as it would be "closer" - if in difference all theme-forums would be cloned into an AltBrick-Space, the distance is longer & LEGO purists may not take looks there.

I am mentioning it as I personally would like to see both sides growing together slowly..  so the nested-approach cooooooouuuuuuuuld pay into that a little bit - but overall it would just be a social / cultural bet from my side..  which I could not pay back if I would be wrong.. 

[9v system]

could we add gobricks to the main index? they are really good parts , i found them to be just as good as lego if not identical and they opperate like bricklink for buying their parts, you can buy in 1kg bulk or per part, Wobrick sells them and is a trustworthy site there is also brickswith formally webrick, the other thing about ordering gobricks is you can upload a part list and it will tell you what they have again very similar to brick links wanted list

[General Magma]

Well, then maybe try a separate section for MOCs first within the new altbricks category to see how it goes. My idea for subforums like Guilds of Historia may work, but it may or may not create some distance, too.

[aFrInati0n]

6 hours ago, 9v system said:

could we add gobricks to the main index?

I would be for it, but possibly we would be good to differentiate between them as a part manufacturer and their (main) customer MouldKing.