Digital Video Building Instructions for Lego in 10 Years?

[BrickMaster35]

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 :)

This topic reminds me a lot of the fear that "books" (as they are in there current state) will soon become redundant.

Many people have predicted that books in the near future won't be printed, but available on e-readers (Kobo, Kindle etc),

or as apps. And this has already started happening. For me I love a printed book, there's something about holding a physical object, with a weight and the satisfaction of turning each page. It's the same for instructions for me. When I purchased the Mindstorms NXT set a few years back, most of the instructions were on CD, and it was much more irritating (and worse for eyes after a few hours) than printed instructions...

[Blakbird]

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?

LEGO already did this decades ago with sets like 8432 so it is nothing new. Personally, I found the electronic instructions really annoying. I've done plenty of electronic instructions in LPub and have built many large models using a computer screen, but using a printed book is FAR more easy and enjoyable. Granted, as computers get smaller it gets easier. I don't have an iPad, but I can imagine that it would make a much better mobile instruction viewer than my laptop. Still, sometimes I even print out my own instructions because I like the experience so much better.

One advantage to future electronic instructions would be if they were interactive. For example, if I am building a model from a CAD file I can always rotate that model in 3D space and zoom in on it to make any feature easier to understand. I can see that being a real advantage.

[zewy623]

@Blakbird

That was my idea also! Being able to rotate the instructions would be a helpful thing in virtual instructions.

[aposaric]

@ 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.

Don't worry mate, I was not offended, I rather enjoy argumented discussions. I get borred when somebody I talk to just say "yws, you are right" or something simmilar, alhough I preffer this kind of discussions in some pub over a nice bottle of whiskey

I was reffering to the technologies simmilar to this one:

There are going to be all kind of displays implemented in the simplest kinds of furniture, or on walls, and what not. Since I work indirectly in that field ( architecture and industrial design ) We are implementing all kinds of new technologies in new hotels, wellness centers and private houses.

I think the Ipad is a great example of digital book. I personaly don't own one, it is to big for me, and not foldable, but when they produce some foldable display, that I can carry around in my pocket, on skiing, or riding in a rain on my motorbike, I will be the first person to buy it.

I presume that, in 10 years time lego will make simmilar kind of instructions as today pdf versions, but you will just put your foldable digital paper on the desk, and you will be able to automatically connect to the lego website and download your model to the device, and I presume that internet is going to be litteraly free of charge, and completely wireless.

Here is the really primitive example of my workstation. I Use two 42" monitors hung on the wall. I bought them 4 years ago because I need tem for my work, but now, they are twice as cheap, and in 10 years you are going to be able to build a whole interior wall from lcd or some simmilar technology, for really affordable price ;-)

So yes, my predicament is that Lego is not going to bother with paper instructions

cheers

[Jim]

A little bit off topic maybe, and rather old news, but I think this video is in place here. Augmented reality kiosk for Lego, might be the future for Lego Building instructions as well.

Again I am not able to link a video. Insert Media and paste the Embed code from Youtube?!

Edited December 21, 2011 by Gekke Ted

[aposaric]

[jadedomg]

I have used a ipad to view pdf's of instructions and that works fairly well, I don't see why it would need to go past that. Lego releases the instructions as pdfs fairly quickly so you don't even need to use them when you buy a set if you don't wish.

[Blakbird]

I have used a ipad to view pdf's of instructions and that works fairly well, I don't see why it would need to go past that. Lego releases the instructions as pdfs fairly quickly so you don't even need to use them when you buy a set if you don't wish.

Except that the PDFs released by LEGO are terrible quality (I think intentionally). If this were to be the only form of instructions, they would need to be good quality vector files. Some of the older sets have this kind of PDF instructions.