Digital Video Building Instructions for Lego in 10 Years?

[DLuders]

By looking at spanikazept's

below of the Lego Technic 8046 Helicopter build, do you think The Lego Group will issue digital VIDEO BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS within the next 10 years? TLG may do this in an effort to keep the cost of their sets down (by not printing paper instructions); they already publish many alternate B-Model instructions online for this reason. Do you like the idea of looking at a VIDEO for your instructions, or would you rather have paper instructions?

[bb15080]

I rather have a paper version of the instructions. when I have to stop I am putting a piece of paper between the page's

I don't always like to have a pc when I am busy with lego

[allanp]

I don't like building from a computer at all, even from normal instructions let alone a video that you have to keep pausing. I have not built a single B model that does not have paper instructions.

[CP5670]

A nonstop video would be annoying and pointless. Animations on each step showing how the pieces go on would make more sense. I recall a few sets in the late 90s actually had this, but electronic instructions in general were too far ahead of their time back then and many people only had desktop computers, which are usually too unwieldy to build from. It might be more practical today with tablets becoming mainstream now.

[allanp]

Not everybody has (or wants) a tablet PC or even a laptop. As long as they keep making the printed instruction come with the set they can do what ever addition formats they want as far as i'm concerned.

[Conchas]

Well these fellows are at least one year ahead of their time (see in the end), so we never know what the future will bring us... :)

But I also prefer to build away from my laptop, and still did not find enough usecases that serve my personal needs, to make me buy a tablet. However a top smartphone is a different story...

[gmshades]

I don't see it happening. I can't believe they have not received enough complaints about having to go online to get the instructions for the B models.

It would be better if they changed instructions and not have 1 new piece for step. They could then have books for both A and B models and still have paper left over.

I think they should make paper instruction booklets available for sale outside the box for the A and B model. Maybe like 10% of the cost of the kit for each copy. I know I would rather spend $10 for a book on a B model for a $100 kit than spend time downloading and printing it off.

[Edwin Korstanje]

I think the paper one is the best opion. i don't like too build the B models from a laptop or PC. I restart building lego 3 months ago after 25 years of not building and you get your books and rebuild 30 years old sets.

I think olso that kids learn a lot more too work with a printed one and olso the colors are better too see at a prinded version than from a laptop

Lets hope that Lego will sell there sets till the and off days with a prinded book, olso that the B models will come back on paper.

Greetings Edwin

[aposaric]

I really hope that in the future there will be no need for the paper instructions, or paper anything as a matter of fact :-) As the things are at the moment, there will be enough advanced technologies that replace paper, that you will hopefully forget what the paper is for. I Know that some of you are used to having everything served on the platter, but ask someone from southern Americas how they feel about depleeting ( read destroying ) rain forrests, so some angry kid in developed country can have their instructions for a TOY printed, so he dont't have to tilt his neck quite so often torwards the screen ;-)

cheers

[KEvron]

i wonder how much the instruction TOME for the ucs star destroyer contributed to the overall price?

KEvron

[Jim]

By looking at spanikazept's

below of the Lego Technic 8046 Helicopter build, do you think The Lego Group will issue digital VIDEO BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS within the next 10 years? TLG may do this in an effort to keep the cost of their sets down (by not printing paper instructions); they already publish many alternate B-Model instructions online for this reason. Do you like the idea of looking at a VIDEO for your instructions, or would you rather have paper instructions?

Maybe not an actual video instruction, but I do like working with PDF instructions, although the colors are a bit harder to distinguish. Having an iMac on my table, I can view the PDF properly and save room on the table for the model and pieces. Sometimes I even use an iPad to build my models.

What I would like is a hybrid instruction, static digital, like PDF, but with interactive annotations or a short video's when applicable.

[allanp]

I really hope that in the future there will be no need for the paper instructions, or paper anything as a matter of fact :-) As the things are at the moment, there will be enough advanced technologies that replace paper, that you will hopefully forget what the paper is for. I Know that some of you are used to having everything served on the platter, but ask someone from southern Americas how they feel about depleeting ( read destroying ) rain forrests, so some angry kid in developed country can have their instructions for a TOY printed, so he dont't have to tilt his neck quite so often torwards the screen ;-)

cheers

Don't be a tool! Ever wonder why fewer and fewer people actually care about deforestation?

Look, in the past there have been concerns about depleating rain forests but things are better now. There are sustainable forests that are grown to be cut down for paper. If we didn't need them for paper these forests would not exist. In America there are now more trees than there were 100 years ago just because of this, and that's a fact. And now that we have these forests, the natural rain forests can be harvested at a much more sustainable rate. Because of this there is also no longer any need to even recycle paper. This is because recycling takes alot of transport lorries and chemicals that are all more harmful to the environment than starting from scratch. On top of that the quality of recycled paper is crap. And on top of all of that, do you really think that producing a computer (with all of it's plastics and so on) and then using our planets resources to make electricity to run the darned thing is better for the environment than growing a tree from sctratch (during it's life will breath in CO2 and breath out O2) and making paper out of it? Give me a break!

Edited December 19, 2011 by allanp

[Alasdair Ryan]

Don't be a tool! Ever wonder why fewer and fewer people actually care about deforestation?

Look, in the past there have been concerns about depleating rain forests but things are better now. There are sustainable forests that are grown to be cut down for paper. If we didn't need them for paper these forests would not exist. In America there are now more trees than there were 100 years ago just because of this, and that's a fact. And now that we have these forests, the natural rain forests can be harvested at a much more sustainable rate. Because of this there is also no longer any need to even recycle paper. This is because recycling takes alot of transport lorries and chemicals that are all more harmful to the environment than starting from scratch. On top of that the quality of recycled paper is crap. And on top of all of that, do you really think that producing a computer (with all of it's plastics and so on) and then using our planets resources to make electricity to run the darned thing is better for the environment than growing a tree from sctratch (during it's life will breath in CO2 and breath out O2) and making paper out of it? Give me a break!

First it was longer pneumatics,now it's tree's, what next?

I have to agree with Mr P i much rather paper instrutions,athough i do have a notebook which comes in handy if the instrutions are online.

[allanp]

Well, if it's worth stating it's worth over stating

What next? Hmmm, let me think (Labour party, Tory party, Atheists, Libral democrats, Feminists, Anti tobacco control freaks and the whole nanny state, The media, Hollywood, Simon Cowell, M*ga Bl*cks,..........................) I'm probably best sticking to Lego on this site

[davidmull]

This wouldn't bother me too much,I have an iPad 2 so even downloading b models instructions off Lego is great and u still just turn the pages but digital :)

[KEvron]

I'm probably best sticking to Lego on this site

yes, please do. that kind of strident reaction is wholly inappropriate for this forum.

KEvron

[zewy623]

I think that Lego should try to do digital instructions, but not a video. A step-by-step model of how the pieces fit together would be nice, with the possibility of being able to turn the virtual model to see how things fit. I also think that the instructions should be for download off their website, or put it on a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray so that we can play it on our tv (if you have a dvd/br player) that way we can get a bigger and better picture, and still control everything via remote. And as a final thought, Lego should make a conversion to the digital instructions, have a paper booklet with a cd of the digital, and from there if they get good feedback, continue with the conversion and with bad feedback, slow down the conversion or stop it.

I think for Technic, this is the best idea so that the instructions are easier to understand.

[zewy623]

Some themes wouldn't work with my idea, or large sets of mostly bricks and plates.

Edited December 20, 2011 by zewy623

[Jim]

I think that Lego should try to do digital instructions, but not a video. A step-by-step model of how the pieces fit together would be nice, with the possibility of being able to turn the virtual model to see how things fit. I also think that the instructions should be for download off their website, or put it on a CD/DVD/Blu-Ray so that we can play it on our tv (if you have a dvd/br player) that way we can get a bigger and better picture, and still control everything via remote. And as a final thought, Lego should make a conversion to the digital instructions, have a paper booklet with a cd of the digital, and from there if they get good feedback, continue with the conversion and with bad feedback, slow down the conversion or stop it.

I think for Technic, this is the best idea so that the instructions are easier to understand.

Exactly what I had in mind!

Would be awesome to be able to rotate and zoom the model in the instructions to see the details.

[allanp]

I don't know, i'de rather not have to rely on hogging the TV/computer for 5 hours while I build a lego set. Like I say as long as they keep the paper instuctions, at least for the A-model, then they can add whatever additional digital instructions they like, that way I guess everyone is happy. Besides I think we can all agree that we don't need that many steps of building instructions, 1 or 2 pieces per step is rediculous! They could cut their instructions costs right there.

[Brickend]

Most Technic sets are from the age of 7 upwards.

Maybe it is possible in 10 years time that every 7 year old will have their own tablet, but if this is not the case, Lego would become exclusionary.

[aposaric]

Don't be a tool!

Ever wonder why fewer and fewer people actually care about deforestation?

Look, in the past there have been concerns about depleating rain forests but things are better now. There are sustainable forests that are grown to be cut down for paper. If we didn't need them for paper these forests would not exist. In America there are now more trees than there were 100 years ago just because of this, and that's a fact. And now that we have these forests, the natural rain forests can be harvested at a much more sustainable rate. Because of this there is also no longer any need to even recycle paper. This is because recycling takes alot of transport lorries and chemicals that are all more harmful to the environment than starting from scratch. On top of that the quality of recycled paper is crap. And on top of all of that, do you really think that producing a computer (with all of it's plastics and so on) and then using our planets resources to make electricity to run the darned thing is better for the environment than growing a tree from sctratch (during it's life will breath in CO2 and breath out O2) and making paper out of it? Give me a break!

Ok, first of all, I don't wan't to go off topic here, but since you talk like you are in the pub, I will reply in the same fashion. ( I really hope that you are an adult, if you are a kid, I am sorry ;-) ) This is apsolute nonsense mate :-) . I was taking about the south Americas, not about the States :-) I am really not a fatalist, or a conservative, or some crazy guy that belongs to some cult. The topic is about VIDEO instructions in ten years time, and I strongly stand on the idea that there is really not going to be any need for paper products in such amount as there is today, and I really think that there is a strong technological and scientific bacground behind my statement. There is not going to be a need to recycle paper, because there in not going to be need to produce it. Cutting forrests in one part of the world so you can grow another one in the second part of the world is really not the soulution, because you change the micro climate conditions that way, and I am not talking about CO2, I am talking about destroying the habitats of ancient tribes ( real human beings), animal species, and what not.

Based on your intro up there, I am quite surpised seeing you on this forum, I would believe that a dude with your ability to adapt to the contemporary society would still use a envelope mailing service, or a pigeon service instead of the Internet Forum, from a computer, powered by electrical energy, partly produced on nuclear plants...

Work a bit on your social skills, mate...

P.S. Just to be clear, I am talking about you calling me a Tool

Cheers,

Andrija Posarić

Edited December 20, 2011 by aposaric

[zewy623]

I am also thinking of it not being a "video" exactly but more of like a menue type setup, where you have to click arrows (i.e. "left" and "right" buttons, symbolized by an "arrow")

and,

@allanp,

At the time I wasn't really thinking about everyone when i made my original post on here, since I have 2 TVs in my own use, a desktop computer, 2 laptops, a tablet, and a Playstation 3. Sorry if I offended anyone thinking that they had their own sources of using my idea, but then again I did mention that paper instructions would still be in use for those whom don't have the tools for virtual instructions.

[allanp]

@ aposaric

Well first, my apologies. My language was hardley grown up (which I am BTW, so feel free to abuse me back if you think I deserve it ). Working in factories (similar male environment to a pub!) you talk like that to your best friends and we all laugh at each others put downs, so please don't take offence, this is me being polite! . So whilst my social skills are well suited to my surroundings, I admit I should probably make more of a conscience effort here

But I do still stand by my points and there will still be a need for paper. Back when offices first started using computers people were cheering and saying all the same things you are now about how there will no longer be paper everywhere now that we have computers with their hard drives capable of storing vast amounts of data. It is easy to see why they would think that, it was obvious to them. But as you have probably guessed, the opposite has happened and there is now more paper in offices than ever before. Paper and other wood derivatives will always be in demand, and so trees will always be cut down. But you are right in saying growing a forest somewhere so you can cut down another is not the solution. But then I didn't say anyone was doing that. They are growing new forests so they can use those new, sustainable forests for paper and so on, eventually (hopefully) removing any need to cut down older forests that are home to many living things. In America this has worked well as far as I know, South America needs to catch up but they have made a start. Besides, whilst Lego is made of plastic, the production of which has lead to things like the BP oil spill, the harm caused by making paper from sustainable tree farms is nothing in comparison.

@ zewy623

Well I too have a computer and a TV to myself and so on, but some people don't. And one of the things I find beautiful about Lego is that it keeps children (and us adults!) away from TVs and computers. Personally I think that's a very good thing as most of us (including me) waste too much time in front of them. From a 2d printed image we have to concepualise a 3d object in our minds, which is simple enough, but it's something that works the brain, which thrives on work and goes dead without it. Instructions are already too easy by anyones standards with mistakes coming from a lack of concentration (probably because it's too easy!). Digital instructions could lead to there being as many steps as there are parts, and 3d models we can rotate would be easier still. Maybe i'm just biased cos of wanting everyone to rediscover the world beyond their computer screens. Maybe I should get off the bloody thing myself.......

[Alasdair Ryan]

I hope lego sticks to paper for the 'A' model a digital for the 'B' model just like it is now.