Architecture numbered bags

[Legoginge]

So I've just opened the new Statue of Liberty set (21042) and it's the first architecture set I've got that's got numbered bags!

Is this likely to continue? Normally they all come without numbers on and it's a free for all on which bag has which piece!

[NathanR]

I don't have many architecture sets, but I can't recall any having numbered bags before now.  It's kind of a shame,  I love it when I get to build a set surrounded by loads of open bags, spending time rummaging through all the parts.  The numbered bags feel like they're spoonfeeding you the build process.

[Legoginge]

All the ones I’ve had including the Capitol building (the largest I own) had non numbered bags. I agree it was fun to sort through them all and find the pieces. It made the build last longer!

[Rufus]

You have to ignore the numbers and pour them all onto the carpet. 

 

[Legoginge]

30 minutes ago, Rufus said:

You have to ignore the numbers and pour them all onto the carpet. 

 

Now that depends where you build! I've taken to building on the dining room table of late.

[anothergol]

18 hours ago, NathanR said:

I don't have many architecture sets, but I can't recall any having numbered bags before now.  It's kind of a shame,  I love it when I get to build a set surrounded by loads of open bags, spending time rummaging through all the parts.  The numbered bags feel like they're spoonfeeding you the build process.

Can't tell if that was sarcasm, I hope it was.

This is my first architecture set, so I didn't even know previous ones weren't numbering bags, but I'm glad it does.

 

I loved building it, and I love the results.
Generally I find building tiny sets therapeutical or something, but large ones quickly annoy me. This one, no, and I think it had to do with the colors. Tan, and my fav Lego color, sand green, with so many new parts (& my fav one in abundance). Really a soothing color.

And the result is really an eye opener. Why did the previous one suck & this one is amazing (other than the fact the previous one was a blocky mess)? The pedestal! At first you wonder why you're spending so much time & parts on what's not "really" the Statue of Liberty, but when you see the result, and how great both work together, you start to realize that you can't have it without the pedestal.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2018 by anothergol

[NathanR]

1 hour ago, anothergol said:

Can't tell if that was sarcasm, I hope it was.

I'm afraid it wasn't, I just really really don't like the numbered bags for building sets.  By splitting sets into numbered bags, Lego restrict the number of parts available to rummage through on that first build.  Lego also dumb down the instruction manuals a little too much to my mind, with only one or two parts per step.  I appreciate this may be useful for kids building sets, but as an AFOL I find I end up building on autopilot, without thinking about what I am making or how the parts are coming together.   The Architecture sets have recently taken instruction manuals even further by sometimes highlighting parts that might be mistaken for each other (e.g. 1x1 technic brick, 1x1 brick with studs on the side, with a tick or a ross to show which should actually be used), though I accept this is for casual Lego builders who might not recognise anything beyond the basic 2x4 bricks.

Personally I love the mid- to large-size technic sets because they are the only sizeable lego models that come without numbered bags, and it really takes me back to my childhood days. 

[anothergol]

24 minutes ago, NathanR said:

I'm afraid it wasn't, I just really really don't like the numbered bags for building sets.  By splitting sets into numbered bags, Lego restrict the number of parts available to rummage through on that first build.

I still don't get it. As someone above wrote, "just ignore the numbers". How can it annoy you that Lego makes it easier for other people?

It's like when I complain about a game being too difficult / having no difficulty selection or cheats, there's always someone to complain that letting other people cheat or play easier would ruin his fun.

I can understand being against Lego designing too much for kids, because generally it affects the look, but here it's different, it's something you can easily ignore.

 

(btw if you prefer bags not numbered or better, wrongly numbered (like litterally using a different font for each bag [I'm not even kidding], and not differenciating 6's & 9's), and everything made difficult for you, you can still buy Lepin :)

Edited June 6, 2018 by anothergol

[Legoginge]

I must admit I prefer numbered bags for the very big builds. I couldn’t imagine rummaging through all 4000 pieces of my Disney castle in one go. 

They also for me signal breaks in the build if necessary as it’s a tidy point to finish after a bag.

Back to this set...

Its amazing. As said above it’s made by the base it’s on and looks awesome on display. I love the detail and the use of parts on the base. 

[NathanR]

@anothergol It doesn't annoy me that Lego make it easier for other people. As I said above, I appreciate why Lego use the numbered bags - to make it easier for kids to build the set.  But for me,  it takes away from the challenge of building a Lego model, the fun of searching for parts, the satisfaction of finally finding what I need to continue.  I have considered opening all the bags at once, but that doesn't really work because everything you need is already in a single bag and I find it more logical to have parts grouped by type (as you get in unnumbered bags, e.g. a bag of technic pins, another bag full of beams). And opening all the bags makes you lose that wonderful "new Lego" smell too quickly...

2 hours ago, anothergol said:

btw if you prefer bags not numbered or better, wrongly numbered (like litterally using a different font for each bag [I'm not even kidding], and not differenciating 6's & 9's), and everything made difficult for you, you can still buy Lepin :)

Ehhhhhhh..... No. If it doesn't say Lego on the stud, it ain't worth having :)

1 hour ago, Legoginge said:

I couldn’t imagine rummaging through all 4000 pieces of my Disney castle in one go. 

I have done that for one large set... this is actually my idea of heaven.... 

Edited June 6, 2018 by NathanR

[koalayummies]

Never has the solution to a Lego "problem" or complaint been so obvious. Ignore the numbers and open all the bags at once. Problem solved.

1 minute ago, NathanR said:

I have considered opening all the bags at once, but that doesn't really work because everything you need is already in a single bag and I find it more logical to have parts grouped by type (as you get in unnumbered bags, e.g. a bag of technic pins, another bag full of beams).

Ok, so open all the bags dumping them into a box, shake up the box and pour on table/floor/wherever you build.

2 minutes ago, NathanR said:

And opening all the bags makes you lose that wonderful "new Lego" smell too quickly...

Ok now we know what you're doing here. End thread.

Reason:

Poster says they dislike numbered bags.

Respondents suggest ignoring the numbers and opening all the bags at the start which is exactly what one would have to do if the bags were not numbered anyway.

Poster says that opening all the bags at once, which is exactly what one would have to do if the bags were not numbered as they prefer, results in losing "that wonderful new Lego smell".

Obvious _____ is obvious.

 

[anothergol]

40 minutes ago, NathanR said:

 I have considered opening all the bags at once, but that doesn't really work because everything you need is already in a single bag and I find it more logical to have parts grouped by type (as you get in unnumbered bags, e.g. a bag of technic pins, another bag full of beams).

But has a Lego set ever done this?

(serious question, because while I got Lego in the 80's, they were all small sets)

 

40 minutes ago, NathanR said:

Ehhhhhhh..... No. If it doesn't say Lego on the stud, it ain't worth having :)

I feel the opposite.

I really dislike logo's on studs. From distance it only looks like they're dirty. A Lepin 1x1 round stud is really a beauty! Of course, all plates, of all brands, are ruined by injection marks on one stud, Lego included, thus I always, always do my best to hide them all. A plate with no logo & no injection mark would much less require to be covered.

And I SO WISH all studs were hollow. Especially bracket bricks - I don't know what Lego is thinking with semi-hollow ones, that doesn't make any sense to me. I can understand when there's a risk a kid loses a part inside of another, but there's no such risk here. There is no strength problem either, because we already have a bracket with hollow studs in all directions, that's the only one we have, and that thing never broke.

And it really looks random. We got a new 1x2 plate with rounded corners and it's fully hollow - perfect! But then we get a 1x1 round plate with a bar on it, and it's semi-hollow, reducing its uses a lot. Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy...

Edited June 6, 2018 by anothergol

[MAB]

27 minutes ago, koalayummies said:

 

Ok, so open all the bags dumping them into a box, shake up the box and pour on table/floor/wherever you build.

Ok now we know what you're doing here. End thread.

 

1

And rip out every other page from the instructions, or two from three if you like more of a challenge.

[anothergol]

I'd add, if you love challenges, you can get instructions for MOCs, they're generally much less forgiving.

Take the Arvo brothers, there is NO WAY Lego would have published their stuff, it's really when you build them that you understand what makes an official Lego set. And this is one complaint that'd be valid, because it really does affect the result. Their stuff isn't a nice building experience at all, but the result is so much better than official sets that it's worth it, for adults.

Here on the statue of liberty, I feel like the base & 3/4 of the statue follow Lego's standards and would have been better designed by a MOCer. The last upper bit of the statue however is rather MOC-like, it's not the most solid thing (especially the arm), but it works.

[NathanR]

2 hours ago, koalayummies said:

Ok now we know what you're doing here. End thread.

Obvious _____ is obvious.

1 hour ago, MAB said:

And rip out every other page from the instructions, or two from three if you like more of a challenge.

My apologies, I hadn't realised my comments could be taken this way. 

As a child I did have a tendency to rip open the bags and pour all the bricks into a huge pile on the floor.  But then in my late teens I came out of a kind of mini dark age and got a few large-ish Lego sets.  To build them I'd sit at a table, tip out a huge pile of unnumbered bags, and open the instructions. I'd look for the bag with the first part I needed, then open that one bag.  I'd remember where it was on the table, so that I could find the same part again if it was needed later in the build, and I'd remember what other parts were in the bag for future reference.  With each new step, I'd look for the parts I needed in the open bags, and then if necessary I would search through the remaining sealed bags.  Simply opening each bag was something I savoured (Lego sets didn't, and still don't, come every day). The bags would have a wonderful smell like pine, probably plastic fumes I shouldn't have been breathing in, but it was still a lovely scent. The feel of factory fresh bricks was, and still is, wonderful but I find they change texture slightly once they've been handled, losing their initial pristine gloss to thumbprints.  I'd get about a third or sometimes even halfway through the model before I'd opened the last bag, and then I'd keep working, with maybe a dozen open bags around me, as I steadily searched for and added each new part.  Technic sets were amazing, because you'd get a single bag full of the black 2L or blue 3L pins - I remember getting 42000 Grand Prize Racer and seeing the huge pile of pins that would go into the finished model, it was only then I realised just how awesome the model was going to be.  The part callouts on the instructions could get quite complex, and I'd end up playing spot the difference to try and find where the new pieces should go.  It was a bit easier than when I was a child as there were no callouts at all on system sets (sometimes I'd miss adding a part for several steps), but it still kept me thinking about how the model was going together.  As the build went on, the bags would gradually become empty and be stuffed back in the box to be discarded later, the table would become gradually clearer.  The hunt for new parts would take much less time, and I'd start stacking the bricks faster and faster, driven on by the thrill of impending completion.  And when finally finished, I'd have a huge sense of achievement, and the fun of showing off what I'd built to my parents and the rest of my family.  

Nowadays the numbered bag system means that I only ever have two or perhaps three bags open at a time.  Searching for parts takes all of a few seconds because there is nowhere else for it to be hidden.  Ok, in the past some obscure parts could take hours to find and it could get quite exasperating, but there was a huge sense of relief and accomplishment when I actually found the damn things.  I know I could open all the numbered bags and dip in the way I used to, except... the parts are grouped differently.  The same brick can now appear in multiple bags, so I could end up searching any or all bags to find what I need. But of course, I know that for each stage of the build all the bits I need are in just one bag, so rummaging through the others becomes unnecessary. I'm not saying the numbered system is bad, it does help break the model into neat little chunks, it's just I like the unnumbered bags.  

You see, when I build a Lego set I am looking for a challenge, something I can look at when it's finished and be proud of what I have assembled.  Nice details, unusual parts usage, intricate moving parts can add to the enjoyment.  But I treasure any modern set that features the unnumbered bags because it lets me build exactly the way I used to.  It gives me the fun of a new set, an experience in the present, while filling me with nostalgia.  It lets me feel the same old childlike wonder and pleasure from years gone by, and brings back fond memories of past, and slightly happier, times. 

2 hours ago, anothergol said:

I'd add, if you love challenges, you can get instructions for MOCs, they're generally much less forgiving.

Actually, I set myself an insane challenge when designing my own MOCs.  I design in computer with LDD, but all parts must interlock to allow a strong and stable real life build.  All connections must be legitimate - no part clipping, collisions, or illegal techniques. I can only use parts in current production, either available direct from Lego Bricks and Pieces, or listed on bricklink as having appeared in an official set within the last 2-3 years. I also aim to match the robust standards found in official Lego sets.  Consequently I only average one or two MOCs per year...

[Herky]

So for everyone that has built it, the part I have a really hard time with is the face plate.  I feel it ruins what is otherwise a great set.  The lack of a try at a face feels like Jamie just mailed it in when it came to that.  Face? no too hard, lets just use a flat plate...kind of a copout and maybe even a swipe at the French and US?  Maybe that is over thinking it I guess, but the whole part there bugs me.

[Legoginge]

2 hours ago, Herky said:

So for everyone that has built it, the part I have a really hard time with is the face plate.  I feel it ruins what is otherwise a great set.  The lack of a try at a face feels like Jamie just mailed it in when it came to that.  Face? no too hard, lets just use a flat plate...kind of a copout and maybe even a swipe at the French and US?  Maybe that is over thinking it I guess, but the whole part there bugs me.

I agree it’s a bit of a let down to an otherwise great set. 

I also feel that the outstretched arm is a little flimsy in connection compared to the rest of the build. 

[the_Yoyo]

Just got the statue and looking forward to putting it together this weekend.  Its the largest architecture build I think out there in terms of number of pieces which maybe why they went with the number bags.  It still looks really cool and I am looking forward to doing it.

 

I really like the numbered bags for larger builds because the work space I have for putting together set is not too large so it helps me not have pieces scattered all over the carpet and all.  Plus it helps me build a set over a course of few days if I need to.  I can just do the first series of bags and then move on instead of having a bunch of pieces all laid out.

[WhiteFang]

Everyone should try and probably build from these: 

to these eventual outcomes  

On a serious note, I think is a matter of preference and numbered bags help to speed the building especially for builders who doesn't have the time of luxury or many sets which await for building. Hence, if I wish to have a mixed up feeling, I will probably just mix it on my own. 

[anothergol]

7 hours ago, Herky said:

So for everyone that has built it, the part I have a really hard time with is the face plate.  I feel it ruins what is otherwise a great set.  The lack of a try at a face feels like Jamie just mailed it in when it came to that.  Face? no too hard, lets just use a flat plate...kind of a copout and maybe even a swipe at the French and US?  Maybe that is over thinking it I guess, but the whole part there bugs me.

I'm not sure. I don't feel it as a lazy finish, because it's a new part afterall. And it's architecture, so it's kept sober. What would have ruined it for me, would have been a print on that part (probably would have looked like an early low-poly 3D game).
I'm pretty sure they tried other things, but what can you do on 2 plates-wide? It's the nose, or rather the shadow of the nose that I miss, but I don't see how they could have done it.

[Herky]

I also kind of wish they would have done it in the original color.  Sure we all know it as green these days but when it was first erected it wasn't green.  It was copper color, about the same color as Lego has already.  Maybe they could offer a separate version in copper.  I don't think there are enough to MOD one.

I agree, hard to do anything on 2 plates wide, but some semblance of a face would have been nice.

[the_Yoyo]

17 hours ago, Herky said:

I also kind of wish they would have done it in the original color.  Sure we all know it as green these days but when it was first erected it wasn't green.  It was copper color, about the same color as Lego has already.  Maybe they could offer a separate version in copper.  I don't think there are enough to MOD one.

I agree, hard to do anything on 2 plates wide, but some semblance of a face would have been nice.

Not many people know about the original color, most people will recognize the statue based on its green right now.  At the end of the day Lego does need to sell its product and pretty much everyone, not just those who live in the US recognize the statue's green color.  Its iconic now.

 

The lack of a face though is starting to grow on me.  It would look ugly if it was a sticker and its too small to have actual face detail.  I was pretty impressed with the overall design of the statue including the reinforcement on the inside.

[anothergol]

Plus Lego has hardly produced anything in copper, and that was 10 years ago anyway.

Of couse, never say never, since teal is back. But I MUCH prefer to see sand green getting mainstream, it's really a nice color, while I never liked the pseudo-metallic colors that just look like cheap plastic. For the first time I'm building a MOC with gold parts, and as much as I love the few plated parts, the "warm gold".. yuk. And they can't even keep it consistent, in the latest sets it's much darker.

[Herky]

I do have to say that after I put it together, I feel this was one of the more awkward builds I have ever done.  I have around 500 Lego sets and the base was fine, repetitive, but I expected that, it's a square after all, but the statue was just not fun to put together at all.  I didn't have any issues with the arm that some have had, but the body, while not a hard build, just wasn't fun for me.  I am looking forward to the Great Wall and the Vegas Skyline.  I know it is early as well, but I really hope we get some cool sets for 2019.  I have seen a lot of MOC's out there which fit right into the theme and are ones that hopefully Lego is also finding and using for ideas.