Unpopular Opinions about LEGO

[Alexandrina]

6 hours ago, danth said:

Like...no. Both colors should not exist. It's madness.

There doesn't seem to be an inventory up on Bricklink for 71784 yet so I can't confirm but the yellows look like Bright Light Yellow - which is a long-established colour and very distinct from Neon Yellow. Both colours should absolutely exist, because they have different use-cases. Neon Yellow is representative of the bright yellow commonly seen on emergency service vehicles (ambulance, police, fire) and indeed is mainly used in that context. Bright Light Yellow could be used in the same context, I suppose, but it's a much more muted, pastel shade, better suited to buildings/shading. Aesthetically it would fit Friends, but there are better-suited colours and if you're not using the bright shade then you might as well use a classic white/red/yellow. I'm not really sure why you would argue that one of these two colours shouldn't exist when there are many examples of more similar shades (see: the various blues/azures, lavenders, pinks and greens. Even Red and Dark Red are more similar than these two shades of yellow).

I will of course retract that last sentence if the yellow in 71784 is a new shade though I will defend its right to exist.

15 hours ago, danth said:

Thank you for highlighting the fact that the price of new colors is taking away existing, established colors. Which is a far worse crime, IMO.

Except that's not happening at all. Trans-Neon Orange is very possibly not extinct at all/has been revived (Bricklink has it appearing in sets up til 2022, which suggests that rumours of its demise were greatly exaggerated) while both Sand Red and Dark Turquoise were discontinued during the 2000s, when Lego's colour palette was contracting (they went in the same period as Blue-Violet, Sand Purple and Light Yellow). Dark Turquoise has also been back in the colour palette for several years now.

In fact, since the colour palette began to expand with Dark Red, Dark Tan and Dark Brown back in the late 2000s, I don't think any colour has been retired to make room for a different colour. According to Bricklink, the last solid colour to be discontinued aside from the limited-utility Maersk Blue was Light Grey in 2008 (presumably when the last old stock was sold out), and before that Medium Orange/Light Lime, two colours which were anything but established given the paucity of parts available. I'd actually go so far as to hazard a guess that 60-75% of AFOLs on this forum have never even owned a Light Lime brick.

[Lego Tom]

Compared to others, this is a minor nit pick. My old eyes sometimes have trouble distinguishing between dark grey and black on the Lego instructions. If the kit only has that specific part in black, then there's no issue but some kits have the same part in dark grey and black. It would entail more work on the part of Lego, but small letters next to the part would help tremendously, such as B next to a black part, DG next to a dark grey one, etcetera.

[Karalora]

2 hours ago, Lego Tom said:

Compared to others, this is a minor nit pick. My old eyes sometimes have trouble distinguishing between dark grey and black on the Lego instructions. If the kit only has that specific part in black, then there's no issue but some kits have the same part in dark grey and black. It would entail more work on the part of Lego, but small letters next to the part would help tremendously, such as B next to a black part, DG next to a dark grey one, etcetera.

I seem to recall that instruction booklets used to print the black parts in solid black with white outlines, making it trivially easy to distinguish them from the dark gray. What happened to that?

[Lira_Bricks]

1 hour ago, Karalora said:

I seem to recall that instruction booklets used to print the black parts in solid black with white outlines, making it trivially easy to distinguish them from the dark gray. What happened to that?

Normally they still do. What they don't do it for is different shades of brown. If there is normal brown and dark brown I cannot easily differentiate between the colors

[Yperio_Bricks]

1 hour ago, Lira_Bricks said:

Normally they still do. What they don't do it for is different shades of brown. If there is normal brown and dark brown I cannot easily differentiate between the colors

I had that problem too. When i was building 75330 Dagobah Jedi Training, it was really hard to differentiate between dark brown and reddish brown in the manual.

[danth]

8 hours ago, Alexandrina said:

Except that's not happening at all. Trans-Neon Orange is very possibly not extinct at all/has been revived (Bricklink has it appearing in sets up til 2022, which suggests that rumours of its demise were greatly exaggerated) while both Sand Red and Dark Turquoise were discontinued during the 2000s, when Lego's colour palette was contracting (they went in the same period as Blue-Violet, Sand Purple and Light Yellow). Dark Turquoise has also been back in the colour palette for several years now.

I hope that's true. I haven't given up hope on the Trans-Neon colors. I mean, they had better be coming back!

However, if you've ever even mentioned your preference for printed bricks, you will have been swarmed by Lego's self appointed PR spokespeople to assure you that printed bricks are all but impossible due to logistical reasons of "too many boxes". You see, all Lego pieces are in a death match, and if a new piece or new color is created, others must go, lest Lego have to track a few more boxes. So, yeah, I don't know how new colors don't have an opportunity cost. Something else has to go. Unless the Lego clergy has been lying to me...

8 hours ago, Alexandrina said:

According to Bricklink, the last solid colour to be discontinued aside from the limited-utility Maersk Blue was Light Grey in 2008 (presumably when the last old stock was sold out), and before that Medium Orange/Light Lime, two colours which were anything but established given the paucity of parts available.

Good point!

[Toastie]

4 hours ago, danth said:

You see, all Lego pieces are in a death match

Well the moment you believe to be the one and only supplier of all these marvels and gems (or you even are) than in market world, keeping supplies low bolsters revenue. You just have to have enough folks on board, calculating it all through. Fewer supplies = lower margin, but compensated by new highly demanded supplies as the target audience freaks out on never seen before ... uhm, colors. From: The Beauty of Capitalism, chapter 1, section 3: The Axioms. OK, made that up.

Best,
Thorsten 

[Lyichir]

2 hours ago, Toastie said:

Well the moment you believe to be the one and only supplier of all these marvels and gems (or you even are) than in market world, keeping supplies low bolsters revenue. You just have to have enough folks on board, calculating it all through. Fewer supplies = lower margin, but compensated by new highly demanded supplies as the target audience freaks out on never seen before ... uhm, colors. From: The Beauty of Capitalism, chapter 1, section 3: The Axioms. OK, made that up.

Best,
Thorsten 

I'm not generally surprised to see weird, cynical takes from you, but this one feels particularly off-base. I'm trying to remember the last time Lego made a big to-do about a new color introduction... maybe back when the Friends theme launched with five or so new colors introduced at once? Otherwise new colors tend to be largely something that's not the focus of marketing and that only nerdy AFOLs like myself make a big deal of (heck, sometimes other AFOLs don't even notice a new color, as evidenced by the post above where someone only discovered that one of the colors was new when they built the set). It's a far cry from the Halloween Bucket I had as a kid that boldly proclaimed on the packaging that it had "new orange bricks!"

Like, yes, new colors are something that can impact set sales, the same way new part designs or new subject matter does. But that's just common sense—people who already have Lego are more likely to be inspired to get more if it's something that wasn't already available and widespread. Hardly some nefarious or arcane business machinations.

[MaximillianRebo]

I don't pay a lot of attention to City, apart from watching the occasional review, but I imagine a colour which is basically 'emergency vehicle yellow' would be very useful in that theme. 

[Lego David]

LEGO has been stealing from rejected LEGO Ideas projects for long enough, and it is about time they stop. They either approve the projects they are interested in, or they don't. Giving the benefit of selecting certain projects and giving the creators of those projects all the rewards associated with that, while rejecting most other submissions, but still reserving the right to release the exact same set under a different theme and not giving any credit to the creators of those original sets is simply unfair and wrong. 

The Ghostbusters HQ, Welcome to Jurassic Park, Fiat 500, Crocodile Locomotive, Bonsai Tree, Harley Davidson Fatboy, The Colosseum, and now, the Snow White Cottage, were all straight up plagiarized from rejected LEGO Ideas projects. It is about time they stop, and give the creators of those projects the proper credit they deserve. 

 

[timemail]

AFOLs have been stealing from intellectual property or real world items for long enough, and it is about time they stop.

The Ghostbusters HQ, Welcome to Jurassic Park, Fiat 500, Crocodile Locomotive, Bonsai Tree, Harley Davidson Fatboy, The Colosseum, and now, the Snow White Cottage, were all straight up plagiarized from intellectual property and real life items. Clearly none of these things would ever been thought of but for that one person who made it once and uploaded it to a website and no-one before or after them would ever have been able to come up with those ideas.

[Toastie]

17 hours ago, Lyichir said:

I'm not generally surprised to see weird, cynical takes from you, but this one feels particularly off-base.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_to_Irritate_People#/media/File:How_to_Irritate_People_DVD_cover.jpg

Simply don't take it seriously .

 

 

[Peppermint_M]

14 hours ago, timemail said:

AFOLs have been stealing from intellectual property or real world items for long enough, and it is about time they stop.

Q4T. 

Unpopular? Opinion: Ideas is too filled with IP and boring Real Life Objects. Where is the creativity? Where is the interesting stuff? Where are the actual IDEAS? 

[Toastie]

43 minutes ago, Peppermint_M said:

Ideas is too filled with IP and boring Real Life Objects

I cannot agree more. However, it is where the money is ... it appears as if people want shiny replicas, rather than tinkering with the brick.

Best wishes,
Thorsten

[Vindicare]

15 hours ago, Lego David said:

LEGO has been stealing from rejected LEGO Ideas projects for long enough, and it is about time they stop. They either approve the projects they are interested in, or they don't. Giving the benefit of selecting certain projects and giving the creators of those projects all the rewards associated with that, while rejecting most other submissions, but still reserving the right to release the exact same set under a different theme and not giving any credit to the creators of those original sets is simply unfair and wrong. 

The Ghostbusters HQ, Welcome to Jurassic Park, Fiat 500, Crocodile Locomotive, Bonsai Tree, Harley Davidson Fatboy, The Colosseum, and now, the Snow White Cottage, were all straight up plagiarized from rejected LEGO Ideas projects. It is about time they stop, and give the creators of those projects the proper credit they deserve. 

 

You see a theme with your complaints? All of those ideas were already plagiarized. None of those are original designs made by whoever submitted them to Ideas. If LEGO is guilty of anything, it’s of taking advantage of knowing a handful of people will want X set. Which...is their business. Had they rejected a completely original idea then released it this comment would have a leg to stand on. 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Vindicare

[danth]

1 hour ago, Peppermint_M said:

Unpopular? Opinion: Ideas is too filled with IP and boring Real Life Objects. Where is the creativity? Where is the interesting stuff? Where are the actual IDEAS? 

I agree but that doesn't diminish what @Lego David said about Lego stealing Ideas entries.

[danth]

20 hours ago, timemail said:

Clearly none of these things would ever been thought of but for that one person who made it once and uploaded it to a website and no-one before or after them would ever have been able to come up with those ideas.

Unironically, this. Who the heck was clamoring for a Snow White Cottage before the Ideas entry? Nobody in the world, that's who. All the trains and motorcycles they could have made but happened to pick the same models from popular Ideas entries? Probably not a coincidence.

Edited February 5, 2023 by danth

[LegendaryArticuno]

UCS Y-Wing, X-Wing, and recent R2D2 are the only good Star Wars UCS sets.

All other SW UCS sets have serious flaws.

Edited February 5, 2023 by LegendaryArticuno

[Lego David]

7 hours ago, Vindicare said:

You see a theme with your complaints? All of those ideas were already plagiarized. None of those are original designs made by whoever submitted them to Ideas. If LEGO is guilty of anything, it’s of taking advantage of knowing a handful of people will want X set. Which...is their business. Had they rejected a completely original idea then released it this comment would have a leg to stand on.

Just because both the original Ideas project and the LEGO version were based off a pre-existing IP doesn't diminish what I said. The people who originally submitted the project still put a lot of thought and effort into adapting and designing the things from those IPs into LEGO projects, and LEGO still more or less copied their designs, without giving them credit. 

Not to mention how if it weren't for LEGO Ideas proving there was interest in such a set, LEGO would probably have not made it out if their own initiative. 

If this only happened once or twice, it could be dismissed as having been just a coincidence... But it has happened way too many times to be just a coincidence. 

[Vindicare]

1 hour ago, Lego David said:

Just because both the original Ideas project and the LEGO version were based off a pre-existing IP doesn't diminish what I said. The people who originally submitted the project still put a lot of thought and effort into adapting and designing the things from those IPs into LEGO projects, and LEGO still more or less copied their designs, without giving them credit. 

Not to mention how if it weren't for LEGO Ideas proving there was interest in such a set, LEGO would probably have not made it out if their own initiative. 

If this only happened once or twice, it could be dismissed as having been just a coincidence... But it has happened way too many times to be just a coincidence. 

They’ve made plenty of their own that came out of nowhere. Optimus Prime, Bowser Tallneck just to name a few. 

[MaximillianRebo]

Lego Ideas is 80% (or more) crowd sourced market research into what IPs are popular right now and 20% original designs and/or interesting and creative takes on what can be achieved with Lego. I mean, no one voted for a BTS set because they envisioned an intricate build with lots of detailed features; they just really like the group.

As has been said, sets like the Tallneck and Optimus Prime show they can figure out on their own what will be popular, but Ideas gets them most of the way there without anyone having to lift a finger.

[Peppermint_M]

Quote

Should LEGO choose to no longer consider your submissions (whether as a Product Idea or Contest Entry) such as by deleting or archiving materials you have submitted, your submission expiring, or by not selecting your Product Ideas or Contest Entries in review, all rights assigned to LEGO above remain assigned to LEGO for a further period of three years from the date of deletion, and the limited, revocable license granted to the Product Idea or Contest Entry Owner above remains in effect for the same three year period. Should LEGO refuse your submission to the site (whether as a Product Idea or Contest Entry), all rights assigned to LEGO above revert to you.

You agree that if the LEGO Group introduces a product similar to your idea or contest entry, whether accepted to or rejected from the site, you understand and acknowledge that any coincidence is unintentional, agree to indemnify and hold LEGO harmless and release LEGO from any and all claims of infringement.

https://ideas.lego.com/terms

People agree to this when they submit to IDEAS. So, TLG have it all wrapped up and can do what they like.

Like I said, where are the original Ideas? People submit stuff that either already exist within LEGO products and licences; Disney and LEGO have been partners for decades, submitting a build to Ideas of something from a really popular Disney film (aka Snow White's Cottage) , it isn't surprising that it did not pass review but a set will be made for the Disney subtheme. For all we know, it didn't pass because a set was already in the production pipe-line. 

If say, Treasure Planet, Atlantis or Black Cauldron builds were submitted to Ideas, passed the 10,000 mark but failed review only for sets to be released later; that would be a bit suspect. Those films do not have the kind of backing by Disney that would mean products were considered prior to Idea success. Though, LEGO are covered by what anyone submitting has agreed to, as quoted above.

Or what about some random IP LEGO is not connected to, like Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. If someone submitted, oh, an Angel Interceptor, that got the 10,000 or more votes, did not pass review and then LEGO comes out with an Angel Interceptor Icons set? Well that would be weird too. The series is not widely popular or current,  it has fans enough that it could get the votes but would not be well known enough that an Icons set was already planned. Once again, LEGO are covered, whoever submitted an Angel Interceptor agreed to it.

 

11 hours ago, Vindicare said:

Had they rejected a completely original idea then released it

Is exactly true. Though, once again, submitting to IDEAS, you do give up the rights for long enough that TLG can develop something from your review rejected/not-passing 10,000 votes Idea submission.

If an Idea was point blank rejected from the site and it wasn't for disobeying the Submission Guidelines/Rules and then TLG came out with the same thing; you would have something of a standpoint you could make. 

The whole thing can only be a marketing data collecting exercise anyway, with a reward for enough people that everyone forgets that fact. I might just be too much of a cynic though.

[BrickBob Studpants]

15 hours ago, danth said:

Who the heck was clamoring for a Snow White Cottage before the Ideas entry?

Me  I always wanted a set based on the first feature-length animated movie in history, even before the Ideas project. A true childhood classic!

Sure, the project got a lot of attention, but suggesting nobody cared about the idea before that is a tad silly. The source material isn’t exactly obscure, you know

Edited February 5, 2023 by BrickBob Studpants

[Vindicare]

3 hours ago, MaximillianRebo said:

Lego Ideas is 80% (or more) crowd sourced market research into what IPs are popular right now and 20% original designs and/or interesting and creative takes on what can be achieved with Lego. I mean, no one voted for a BTS set because they envisioned an intricate build with lots of detailed features; they just really like the group.

As has been said, sets like the Tallneck and Optimus Prime show they can figure out on their own what will be popular, but Ideas gets them most of the way there without anyone having to lift a finger.

That’s kinda the problem with the way things go now too. An IP set will get 10,000 no problem because fans pick up on it & it gets passed around fan sites. Now, it’s hard to say how many make the effort to signup for Ideas & hit the support button. 

I’m not knocking IP’s at all, most of the Ideas sets I bought were Licensed, but I love the original ideas better, like Ship in a Bottle or Maze. 

One sort of leg they have to stand on, and ignoring the fine print Peppermint_M posted for the sake of argument, I remember this accusation with the Monster Fighters Haunted House. But when you search “haunted house” they all look very similar to birth the submission & eventual set. 

[Lego David]

16 hours ago, Peppermint_M said:

If say, Treasure Planet, Atlantis or Black Cauldron builds were submitted to Ideas, passed the 10,000 mark but failed review only for sets to be released later; that would be a bit suspect. Those films do not have the kind of backing by Disney that would mean products were considered prior to Idea success. Though, LEGO are covered by what anyone submitting has agreed to, as quoted above

Wouldn't the Crocodile Locomotive set sort of fit into that category though? It was a set that was never approved, but LEGO still released it on their own later, despite being a rather niche vehicle. I don't think that many people outside of Trains fans would even know what this particular Locomotive even is.