The Golden Years

[jonfett]

Ok, so this topic doesn't have anything to do with the new sets or anything like that.

I just saw this render on Brickshelf - http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery....y.cgi?i=1014122

And it reminded me of something.

I searched through my Lego and found this bus, which I got from my dad which he had as a child.

It just made me think that Lego sets years ago were very basic but still very good, whereas now we have some lines which have basically have new molded pieces in every set. People are always saying Lego should go back to its roots and I think that lines such as the new city for '05 are doing this.

So basically I am just happy that Lego is releasing sets like these and bringing memories for those who owned the old fire and police sets.

Go Lego!! ;)

Jon.

[ApophisV]

For me the golden years were the late 80's and early 90's with the three great lines pirates / knights / space.... *wub*

[David85]

I think the Golden years ended in 1996, 1997 onwards was City Juniour and I stopped buying Legos then.

[ImperialJohn]

For me the golden years were the late 80's and early 90's with the three great lines pirates / knights / space....  *wub*

Well the first really great Lego moment was with the release of the minifig :D

I still remember getting the fire station and of cause the yellow castle *wub*

But the late 80's to midth 90 had great lines. (But that was in my 'dark age' :'( )

But it was Star Wars that brought me back to Lego.

Wish they never made that line.

The Lego hobby is costing me a fortune today |-D

[Orlego]

But it was Star Wars that brought me back to Lego.

Wish they never made that line.

The Lego hobby is costing me a fortune today

Same here John. I was in my dark ages until Lego started the Star Wars line.

My last set as a kid was the Black Seas Barracuda (6285).

Since coming out of my dark ages, I now collect city, train and Star Wars sets. I also buy way too many buckets. I also have the same issue with my Lego hobby, it is costing me a fortune as well.

[mahjqa]

Golden years? Right here, right now.

Of course, everyone remembers the 'golden years' as the years of their own childhood. For me, that would be around the 1990's.

I'd like to quote Douglas Adams here. He was talking about technology in general, but I find the quote just as appropriate.

"I've come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies. Anything that is in the world when you're born is normal and ordinary and is just part of the way the world works. Anything that's invented between when you're fifteen and thirty five is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you're thirty-five is against the natural order of things."

Most of us are discomforted that Lego isn't making the kind of sets they used to. Hey, it's easy to complain. Often, I hear the phrase that 'Lego should go back to their roots'. While in general that's not a bad idea, it would mean we'd still get sets like these: http://brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=41464

If Lego would have made those sets time and time again for the last 10 years, we'd be pretty tired of it right now.

But Lego can't afford to go back, they, just like the car manufacturers and the clothing designers, need to come up with 'new' things for the sake of their newness. They need to sell things. Remember when you were little, every time new lego sets came on the market, and you simply had to have them, because of the new parts or the possibilities you have with a bigger Lego collection? Without innovation, Lego'd be out of business very soon. The minifig was an innovation. The wheels for cars. The new pull-back engines are one.

Lego is creating new models and concepts, and the 'designer' sets are (in my opinion) the perfect product of the 'old' lego (don't rely on specialized parts, and make a buttload of models with, in essence, a limited set of bricks) and the new lego parts and construction techniques.

Yes, one could argue about the greys. You know what? Let's not. It's been done, and it ain't changin'.

Seeing this year's new sets, I'm actually happy that Lego's dark ages came together with mine. I got back on track, just like Lego did, two years ago. When I look at it now, I think in the end, it's going to be all right again.

:)

[ImperialJohn]

Remember when you were little, every time new lego sets came on the market, and you simply had to have them, because of the new parts or the possibilities you have with a bigger Lego collection?

That aguementation stll works :D

But still the new 2005 lines looks better than the previous years in my oppinion!

[Vader]

Gotta go with the late 80s early 90s too, i still remember seeing the ghost minfig, rodin hood, large castles etc for the first time. Up until then all i ever had was city sets and seeing all these new products really boosted my love for lego.

2005 is shaping up to being a great year for lego and it already looks better than the few years sets, but im not sure that we will ever see another age as good as then, but i sure hope so ;)