"Other" Themes

[rollermonkey]

As a male AFOL, I find myself generally interested in specific themes. Personally, I came out of the Dark Ages because of the Architecture line, but since then, I've done most of the Modulars, several Creator Expert sets, some UCS Star Wars and more recently Technic.

I also have a 4 year old daughter, so I've been helping her with Duplo and more recently Junior, Disney Princess and Friends.

As a Lego kid in the 80's brick-stacking was pretty much all we had, and we'd get a bracket or three in Space to put the rockets on the back, nothing too complex. Heck, even 80's Technic sets were generally pretty simple affairs.

When I started building new sets I was thrilled at some of the relatively new techniques like SNOT, and all the new pieces.

What surprises me most is when I find cool stuff in my daughter's sets. For example, Cinderella's Coach is covered in SNOT.

The one that made me want to discuss this was Jungle Falls Rescue. (Friends) I just finished it, and the darned thing uses 4 technic pieces to make a secret door slide open!

I guess the point is that I'm completely amazed at the things that happen in other themes that I wouldn't ordinarily be interested in.

Does anybody else run into cool things like this?

Edited August 1, 2014 by rollermonkey

[AwesomeBantha]

Yep, I'm personally amazed every time I build a new set!

It's really amazing to see how far LEGO has come in the past few years;

In 1999 we got this

And as recently as last year we got this:

While some of the new releases might not be so great (looking at you, B-Wing!) we have to remember that, still, LEGO design is so much better than it was only 10 years ago!

[TheLegoDr]

^A lot of that is linked to new pieces which provide new techniques and possibly just better builders overall thanks to the internet. People can immerse themselves in inspiration and create all sorts of things.

[CrazyDalton777]

As said above me the internet plays a part, actually it plays a huge part as designers from over the world of LEGO sets can have a Skype call to discuss things rather than a letter or all meeting up. This means that bigger and better sets were made in the same timescale as sets from the 80's, 90's and early 00's. Websites like Cuusoo and Ideas have helped LEGO create products that they know the people will like. Builders can easily get the opinions of others with the internet as LEGO fans can share build instructions with anyone online. Ecommerce has also helped LEGO earn more money and made buying LEGO easy.

[iamwhoiam]

While some of the new releases might not be so great (looking at you, B-Wing!) we have to remember that, still, LEGO design is so much better than it was only 10 years ago!

Except for the new MTT...

[rollermonkey]

I'm not just referring to Star Wars, and I was hoping this wouldn't devolve into a SW topic.

I'm saying that OTHER themes that we individually might not ordinarily have any interest in have some surprisingly cool building techniques and features. I'm wondering how many other people have come across this in their own experience.

[AwesomeBantha]

I'm not just referring to Star Wars, and I was hoping this wouldn't devolve into a SW topic.

I'm saying that OTHER themes that we individually might not ordinarily have any interest in have some surprisingly cool building techniques and features. I'm wondering how many other people have come across this in their own experience.

I didn't just mean SW, I just used it as an example, because it's one of the themes where change is the most evident.

City, Space, and even Chima are so much better now than they would have been 10-5 years ago!