Is Creator's Three-In-One Line Underappreciated by AFOLs?

[TeriXeri]

@Tomik I love your altenate builds contributions to rebrickable, it really shows the building part of LEGO, even with limited parts.

The picture you posted it just amazing example.

Edited April 15, 2019 by TeriXeri

[Tomik]

On 4/15/2019 at 2:14 PM, TeriXeri said:

@Tomik I love your altenate builds contributions to rebrickable, it really shows the building part of LEGO, even with limited parts.

The picture you posted it just amazing example.

Thank you, it is nice to hear it. I stopped posting my Creator alternatives here because it looked like nobody cares about them... Now I've found out that most of people here don't care about Creator 3 in 1 at all. 

[Mylenium]

4 minutes ago, Tomik said:

Now I've found out that most of people here don't care about Creator 3 in 1 at all.

I wouldn't put it that way. For me there are simply practical limitations. I don't have the money to buy every set ten times, don't have the space to keep too many models around assembled and of course I don't want to open up a Bricklink store to sell off leftover parts. Therefore I rather buy sets from other lines, usually stuff that has a certain complexity, looks nice to keep assembled or at least contains good parts for custom builds. Unfortunately 3in1 models rarely fit those criteria, which I often regret myself. You know, it's really that "I would love to build this model, but I don't want a ton of extraneous wheels, hinges etc. floating about afterwards." I mentioned in this thread already. Don't let this discourage you, though. Perhaps it's really just a matter of persisting and trying for the right model to come along that would compell people to dig more into your stuff.

Mylenium

[ShaydDeGrai]

For me, I find the Creator 3-in-1 models to be somewhat hit-or-miss, though, in their defense, when they do hit with me, they usually knock it out of the park.  Just looking at the ones in current release on the shop web site, about half of them I either own or have on my wish list and about a quarter of the ones that own, I have multiple copies of.  The other half that didn't make the wish-list cut have no appeal to me whatsoever (other than, perhaps, as a source of parts if the price were right)

Pluses from my perspective include:

 * Focus on the build

 * No stickers / very little use of printed parts / strong reliance on form language and color alone

 * Cheap source of basic parts 

 * Good father/daughter activity fodder

 * No IP tie-ins / No tight coupling to pre-defined storylines

 * Emotionally a throwback to my earliest experiences with Lego

Minuses from my perspective:

 * The 'B' and 'C' models are often 'lacking' compared to the 'A' model

 * When the subject matter doesn't appeal, getting three variations on a theme triples the offense

 * Bitter reminder of the days when I couldn't afford much Lego and had rebuild as much as I could from a limited supply of parts

Neutral issues as far as I'm concerned:

 * Minifigures, I come from a time before minifigs and I usually don't care if they are there, absent, generic or anything else

 * Molded animals vs brick built - the former look better in context, the latter offer more part selection for MOC-ing - it's a wash

These, of course, are just my opinions.  There's a line in one of the episodes of The Big Bang Theory where one of the characters complains, "They were having fun wrong."  I think it's important to remember that, at the end of the day, Lego is a toy, and the proper way to play with a toy is whatever way that brings you happiness/joy/amusement/etc.   We all have different tastes and priorities and just because we might not all share the same opinions does not invalidate the legitimacy of others' feelings on the matter.

 

 

[Peppermint_M]

I love the vehicle 3in1 sets. They provide lots of great parts to build my own designs and a showcase for building techniques.

Also, the three build concept is something I greatly appreciate. As someone is not neurotypical, I suffer from bouts of anxiety that my LEGO can help with. Building a set calms the symptoms or stops them altogether. A mid size 3in1 can either be stretched over three "attacks" or douse a severe attack. Not only building a set from the instructions, but also the action of taking it apart and setting the parts out help so much. 

Once I have worked on all three, I can start my own alternate builds or reassemble my favourite. 

I really think that creator as a theme keys into the "mindfulness" movement and should certainly be explored as a helpful treatment for anxiety disorders.

Of course, a set from a theme also can help, but the One-and-done nature makes them less effective.

[Mylenium]

20 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

I really think that creator as a theme keys into the "mindfulness" movement

...could be just as stressful for some, though. ;-)

Mylenium