Potential Questions for LEGO Designers

[GoldVillage]

Just a couple of questions.

1. Is the alternate model usually already choosed before starting design a new set, or is it more common that you get ideas when starting the build process?

2. Is one specific designer choosed to make the flagship, or do you make the final choose out from several builds from several designers?

[allanp]

This. It seems to be getting worse, they appear to be going to red and yellow axles to fix the "is that grey or black" problem. I pay quite ridiculous prices for some rare parts because I am not a fan of the blue pins, but there are now so many that are never made in black, and there is no colour that they're all available in. Fortunately I think I have enough 3 long pin friction in black now. I also gave up a while ago and bought a pile of 12L axles and cut them into 5/7 and 3/9 lengths, because 5 long black axles sell for silly money but 7 and 9 long just don't exist. At least with axles I *can* cut them down.

But if TLG did decide to offer "parts packs" of black pins I would be thrilled. Expensively thrilled, but thrilled. Just sell me these parts in black in bags of 1000 already :)

Yup. Would really like to know why they think it's necessary to colour code parts bright colours or shades of poo in kits designed for older kids (Technic) when they don't colour code parts in regular Lego meant for younger kids. All axles and friction pins black, all friction pins with an axle, all axle with stops and all gears that can slide under gravity dark grey, all other pins and gears light grey. Of course axles can also be coloured to suit the model (like the barcode truck) but I really don't see the need to colour code any more than this and these neutral colours would look so much better.

[roppie11]

i was wondering:

who detemines the colors of the set/part?

let's take 42039(24h racer) it is green.

1. does the designer choose to use a black part here and a green part there (except for things lik 5x7 frames or 3L pins)

2. Does the designer make a set from just one color(black or LBG) and is there someone else choosing the colors per part, which fits best?

sorry for heading (too) much to 'sets' instead of 'parts'

[Moz]

You can buy +50 @ BL for 0.02EUR/each. That shoudln't blow ya budget, no?

Sorry, I meant 7 long, should have looked it up. 7 long... 15 under $1 each, then $2.36 each and climbing. But I note I can get black axle with stop now, which is nice.

And the axle pin part that's usually blue is widely available in black. Provided you're willing to pay more than $1 each, or $2 if you want more than 100 of them. {cough}

Edited March 19, 2016 by Moz

[Saberwing40k]

Another question, why do some sets like 42035, 42022, and others, only have a single wheel driving the engine when a differential would fit? Even if a diff were too much to add to the budget, even having both wheels on the same axle would be better.

[grum64]

Ever thought of making flavoured pieces?

Edited March 20, 2016 by grum64

[Jay Psi]

Ever thought of making flavoured pieces?

I was enjoying that cup of tea...

Following on from Legolijntje's question, is there a "target" of sorts that potential new parts have to meet in terms of their use (i.e. total quantity, number of sets) before the molds are made?

[RohanBeckett]

...when they don't colour code parts in regular Lego meant for younger kids.

they sometimes do... in a way...

often you'll see 'internals' of a creator/system build using different colours, to ensure you build preceding steps in the right place

even the Back to the Future Ideas car does this - it has red/blue bricks, in early stages of the build, that assist you when building, and eventually get covered up

[steph77]

Ok.

Here is my question:

During the process of creation do the designer have a fixed limit number of functions for a set?

Is this number related to the supposed age of the public of destination?

How and wen in the process is it decided that a set has the right amout of functionalities?

Edited March 20, 2016 by steph77

[Brickthus]

I guess a few of these might break Jim's guidelines but all are genuine questions:

1) Now that we have a new pneumatic system with set 42043, will there be a revised 48mm 2/6 pneumatic cylinder (the old one was used in 8110 Unimog) to complete the range? That size is better for actuating other pneumatic valves, to make pneumatic automata. Good job on the longer ones and the full 2M throw on the 1/5 cylinder BTW

2) Will another Technic set ever do what 8868 did in the alternative model (refuse truck) and make a pneumatic automaton? This is a key learning point for the 11+ age group and adults and started me off in that direction - LEGO values

3) Technic sets are still short of pneumatic compression. I have to use a professional compressor at home, which has a fridge motor. What will be done to increase pneumatic compression in Technic sets? I am looking for more than just adding a second 1/6 mini compressor.

4) Will Technic branch out of the usual car, truck, aircraft, farm machinery and construction plant and have sets with more natural things like animal movements? I have tried an octopus arm with pneumatics, a hedgehog skeleton to curl up, a pneumatic swan neck, and also a cuttlefish with propulsion fronds that could move with a crankshaft driven from a wheel underneath. Could at least one animal or less-industrial Technic set in the range each year have more appeal to a wider section of the population (stereotypically more girls but such sets should have a broad appeal)? How could an animal set have enough functions for the money?

5) In terms of unusual Technic kit ideas, there is also the BB-8 droid from Star Wars The Force Awakens; I had to make my own with Power Functions since there was no LEGO kit of it; the result should end up with similar functionality and price point to 42030 Volvo Loader. I used some of the smaller panels but the largest ones are 5x11; would a smooth sphere section at a larger size be feasible?

6) Do Technic kit designers work to a £10 per function rule? I have noticed that sort of function-to-price comparison over the years.

7) Can Technic now hold its own business case without support from Bionicle or another theme?

8) In the part colours debate, the use of red and yellow axles, and some bright colours for pins, risks moving too far towards the K-Nex philosophy of having each piece in its own colour and making a model look silly if it uses a variety of parts. Please reassure us that for every Technic piece in a bright colour, there will always be a black or grey version available.

9) What can be done to make a wider selection of existing Technic parts available from Customer Services? I am finding that I can only get about half the current part types I want from there because too many are out of stock in the long term. Also the belts are never available so we don't get to do enough belt drives, which are a great alternative to gears.

10) What can be done to improve the steering rake (lock-to-lock angle) of Technic kits? The rake is poor on most kits because it is a toy function for children. Ironically set 42000 F1 Car had a better steering rake when its real-life counterpart has a poorer rake than road cars! I remember 8479 Bar Code Truck had a very good steering rake. Please return to the goodness so we can turn round in a smaller space.

11) I miss the Flex system. I understand it broke too easily and we need parts to be reliable. Could we have a new one, say 2mm diameter flexible rods in 4mm rigid tubing?

12) Why was the decision made to avoid using sections of rigid 3.2mm tubing for pneumatics in 8110 Unimog and 42043 Mercedes Benz truck? This worked well in 8868 and is a "legal move" for building. It reduces the balloon effect and can help pneumatic control to be more precise.

13) For motors, a lot of people want a new Micro Motor but can we also have an F-motor, a fast one for propellers? We used to have a 4000rpm no-load, 2000rpm loaded motor (47154, 4x5) so could we have an ungeared L-motor as a new fast one with good torque? At the moment the only motor combination able to launch a Ninjago Airjitzu spinner (even without the minifig or pod) is 2x PF train motors geared up 5:1 with a freshly-charged LiPo. Surely an F-motor from an ungeared L-motor would be feasible financially as it would use the same metal motor unit inside a revised casing? This would also replace the much-missed 5292 motor.

14) Will there be capability to stack the plugs of Power Functions Mk2? The pictures of WeDo2 appeared to show that this was not possible. How would we drive two motors from one output?

15) The PF Light Brick is great but we need an alternate one for a police car or railway signal. To cut one up and change the circuit would be messy and I wouldn't want to do that for many railway signals. I understand that it might be confusing to consumers to have only one LED light at a time; I thought that a different colour of 2x2 brick in the middle (e.g. grey rather than black) could make the distinction from the existing both-on light brick. How would the distinction be made for a production product? ...pause... Now that you have a solution, please let me see it, and buy lots of them!

A couple of pieces I would like include a 1x2 half beam with a round hole and a cross hole, and a 40mm pulley like the 24mm pulley, with 3 of the 6-hole ring being cross holes and 12 holes in the outer ring; potential for use as train wheels. I realise a lot of my other wishes might be unfeasible for sets aimed at children; we can't have shortened pins but I'm OK to turn them myself.

Mark

Edited March 21, 2016 by Mark Bellis

[MikeTwo9398]

My question is about the PF light.

No matter what potentional power, powerswitch of batterybox to the left or right, the PF lights always turns on.

In the past Lego made lights (9 volt system) blinked or turned on depending the power supplied by the batterybox.

I think it is quite easy to create this. Even with a special 2x2 bricks inbetween as Mark asks.

[Kman860]

Ever thought of making flavoured pieces?

You just won the internet!

[Jim]

My question is about the PF light.

No matter what potentional power, powerswitch of batterybox to the left or right, the PF lights always turns on.

In the past Lego made lights (9 volt system) blinked or turned on depending the power supplied by the batterybox.

I think it is quite easy to create this. Even with a special 2x2 bricks inbetween as Mark asks.

This isn't a question. This is comment

[Brickthus]

My question is about the PF light.

No matter what potentional power, powerswitch of batterybox to the left or right, the PF lights always turns on.

In the past Lego made lights (9 volt system) blinked or turned on depending the power supplied by the batterybox.

I think it is quite easy to create this. Even with a special 2x2 bricks inbetween as Mark asks.

This isn't a question. This is comment

Let me rephrase the question:

"The PF light brick LEDs always turn on, in both directions of power, even with low battery voltage. Would it be possible to have the lights flash, either both together, alternately or individually, or to emulate the functions of the 9V Light and Sound lights, or for the lights to dim or do other functions with a control device? Would it be possible with different bricks in the middle, replacing the 2x2 black brick?"

I can answer some of it too:

This circuit for a light brick would have them turn on alternately with power direction. If there were no power control device then changing direction could be achieved with a motor, crank and polarity reverser switch, as was done in set 8082 years ago.

This circuit would turn the head and tail lights on with the direction of a train, keep them on when the train stops and only change them when the train reverses, with another option to flash them alternately for a police car.

Anything is possible; most things would fit in a 2x2 brick and more complex ones in a 2x4 brick or larger block, but I want to hear what the designers think. I would be happy to help them

Mark

[LucyCol]

We have seen the Power Functions re worked a number of times, (and possibly updated again with WeDo 2.0) and last year with 42043 a reworking of pneumatics, I'm not going to ask for studded bricks back, but I would like to see a reworking of the 'Flex' system I felt it had a lot of potential that wasn't taken advantage of, and would like to see it return.

[grum64]

You just won the internet!

But I've no where to keep it

[allanp]

But I've no where to keep it

:laugh:

[1974]

But I've no where to keep it

[grum64]

You just won the internet!

But I've no where to keep it

You Win!

Edited March 24, 2016 by grum64

[Jim]

Okay, let's get back on topic

[Mantarri]

Why are there no friction variants of the half pin? This has bugged me as the blue ones should have friction, but don't.

(call function = rant over);

[veryrusty]

Have you ever had an idea for a cool mechanism and Incorporated it into a set because it was so cool. Or do the looks always come first?

Is their any part you've wanted to use, but haven't.

[Buddy010702]

How difficult is it to become a Lego designer? Is it ever too late to try to become one?

[LucyCol]

How difficult is it to become a Lego designer? Is it ever too late to try to become one?

As my mum used to say, "It's never too late if you put your mind to it"

[JJ2]

Why did they make #T=S&O={}"]this piece have little friction and (maybe softer plastic)?