The clone brands discussion...again

[Big Cam]

It was a rhetorical question

Does it make a lot of sense to bump a month old topic to ask a rhetorical question?

I think the debate will forever have fighters on both sides, it's mostly a matter of opinion.

[Bricks2000]

What is a clone anyway? Aren't Lego bricks itself a clone of Kiddicraft bricks? With many enhancements afterwards, granted, but still originally a clone.

Well, LEGO DID copied Kiddicraft's design, but acquired the rights to make these after the original founder died.

[fred67]

Well, LEGO DID copied Kiddicraft's design, but acquired the rights to make these after the original founder died.

Looooonnnnngggggg after the original founder died when it was trying to gain a stronger footing to sue someone else for copying them.

New, superior minifigs featuring: The uncanny valley, a lack of building, lack of usability of a fig's pieces elsewhere, the same resistance to damage any low tier action figure has and a level of detail that makes them look out of place whenever they are next to anything brick built!

Yes... like I said, superior in some ways, but then like Big Cam says, it's all a matter of opinion.

[LegoDad42]

It's definitely ok to use whatever elements from various companies to enhance, compliment your MOC or MoD's.

It's all up to the builder on which parts to use. No rules and no restriction when you're creating. Art doesn't have rules.

[iamded]

Okay, so the question I'm getting from this is "Why is it considered okay to use things from Brick Forge, BrickArms etc, but not clone brands like Megabloks?"

For one thing, BrickArms and Brick Forge make quality products, I know BrickArms and Brick Forge use ABS plastic, like Lego, whereas Megabloks and other clone brands use cheaper plastic. Also, clone brands tend to be in competition with Lego, wheras custom accessories are made to compliment building block brands...

Wait, everything I said has already been mentioned. Well then, I'll just be going...

[Enpaz]

Here is my opinion on the issue:

If you have a lego-like brand that can be used as a construction toy on its own, without adding any other brand to it, it's a clone brand. And thus frowned on with good reason, as they are just copying TLG's idea of success; not thinking of something new or revolutionary or whatever themselves. BrickForge is no such clone brand because they did come up with something new themselves, a niche in the market: producing items that are missing in the famous Danish toy company's huge range of pieces.

You can't build a MOC with ten lampposts, can you? They really do only compliment, that's their business model. Up to now, at least - and I don't think this will ever change.

Enpaz