LEGO Ideas Discussion

[Tube Map Central]

13 hours ago, Mountain Man said:

What does mean?

I disagree. Plenty of the recent 10k suggestions had next to no chance of being made as it made no sense to such as for Cars / Modular buildings / Existing licence topics. Why build them under the Ideas brand? In reality that 35 list was far more smaller in terms of viable projects. Then if you remove some of the huge sets, and those where a licence may not be achievable. And the list is really small to choose from. 

A few simple things would help. They need to tighten the criteria to stop entries with existing product themes, and provide a simple 1 line rejection explanation for 10k rejections to stop people putting in entries that won't be selected. 

 

This is the problem, the face of Ideas looks like some sort of democratic Kickstarter, but really the back end is more politicised than the Communist Kremlin. Maybe if they were more upfront about what might stand a chance, for example if your build is a city building on a 32x32 baseplate then forget it.

The result is a hopelessly confused nest of vipers in which wannabe Lego employees, IP grabbers, the genuinely creative and the genuinely hopeless all try to grab attention.

[Mountain Man]

9 hours ago, Tube Map Central said:

This is the problem, the face of Ideas looks like some sort of democratic Kickstarter, but really the back end is more politicised than the Communist Kremlin. Maybe if they were more upfront about what might stand a chance, for example if your build is a city building on a 32x32 baseplate then forget it.

The result is a hopelessly confused nest of vipers in which wannabe Lego employees, IP grabbers, the genuinely creative and the genuinely hopeless all try to grab attention.

I think some realism needs to come into it from designers part. 

Often designs are huge, which follows the natural instinct to add detail, but in reality, it just means the potential price point is pushed up. Its one thing for Lego to take a risk on 200+ pound / dollar Star Wars or Ninjago set, they can judge demand better, they know sales pedigree. But some new film / TV show without proven sales pedigree?

Secondly I think there are differing views on what is a popular film / TV show. There seem to be a lot of submissions for reasonably popular ones, whereas in reality, that's still a limited audience. There is a difference between the iconic films/sitcoms/TV shows which have had sets made, versus a perfectly entertaining at the time, but ultimately not iconic animated series etc. I think fans of them over estimate their relevance and importance 

[Tube Map Central]

4 minutes ago, Mountain Man said:

I think some realism needs to come into it from designers part. 

Often designs are huge, which follows the natural instinct to add detail, but in reality, it just means the potential price point is pushed up. Its one thing for Lego to take a risk on 200+ pound / dollar Star Wars or Ninjago set, they can judge demand better, they know sales pedigree.

But then, as we saw from Sesame Street, If Lego really want it, they will redesign the entire build. Likewise they could scale anything down that is too massive.

So, what are they looking for? Concept? Build? IP? I don't think they are looking for build at all. If a winning concept or IP grab happens to have a reasonable build they will absorb it as a foundation, otherwise they will start again. [So no point showing that a build comes apart for play features, Lego designers will sort that out.]

Perhaps Ideas submissions should be split, different types of submission for different aspirations.

1) Here is an original concept that Lego should try as a set (no rules, even modded parts permitted, just let it rip)

2) Look at my amazing build, Lego should take it as is (automatic reject, Lego designers don't like outsiders doing their job)

3) Vote for iconic IP as a set (no complete build necessary, perhaps a couple of minifigures and test sections at most, that would have won the Minecraft vote, yes?)

[Oh yes, and while I am here on this thread I will have a quick rant: Designers, stop submitting just renders, if you can't be bothered to build it for real, even after it has 1000 votes and looks promising, then why should I?]

[Mountain Man]

2 hours ago, Tube Map Central said:

But then, as we saw from Sesame Street, If Lego really want it, they will redesign the entire build. Likewise they could scale anything down that is too massive.

But that creates a different argument from some people about them respecting the original design close enough. 

Sesame Street as an iconic programme and the slimmed down build was still an obvious choice, but that creates extra work post selection so I still think if designers made smaller sets originally it would help. 

I think your suggestions are a step in the right direction. I think thar World Builder is great for allowing concepts to just flow. 

Against popular opinion I also think their competitions to design a car / musical instrument etc are a positive step as its giving a bounded brief and one you know Lego actually wants. 

[MAB]

On 2/9/2021 at 3:33 AM, Modal said:

I have to agree that the Van Gogh (and Moreso the Globe) are boring picks,

I also find them boring, and quite poor representations of what they are meant to be. They are probably about as good as you can do in LEGO form at the scale, but I'd prefer a realistic globe or a decent print over the LEGO form, at a fraction of the cost. But then, I have enough LEGO in my life that I don't need such common display-and-no-play objects made out of LEGO, so I don't think I am the sort of person that most of this style of set is aimed at (Maze, Ship in a Bottle, Typewriter, Piano, Globe, Nintendo, etc). But I guess they must sell as LEGO keeps pumping them out. I guess the same could be said of Saturn V. It is really just a display object, but it feels somehow different to displaying a globe built from LEGO.

5 hours ago, Tube Map Central said:

1) Here is an original concept that Lego should try as a set (no rules, even modded parts permitted, just let it rip)

2) Look at my amazing build, Lego should take it as is (automatic reject, Lego designers don't like outsiders doing their job)

3) Vote for iconic IP as a set (no complete build necessary, perhaps a couple of minifigures and test sections at most, that would have won the Minecraft vote, yes?)

 

I think there is a fourth option, blurred between 1 and 3. That is the 4) here is a non-IP but common object made from LEGO. Desktop computer, mobile phone, iron, camera, pencil pot, storage box, non-functioning keyboard, calculator, globe, bonsai, ship in a bottle, etc ... they are not really any more creative than someone building a model based on a TV or movie franchise. The main difference is there is no franchise vote behind it.

I think there are very few original concepts submitted as per (1).

It used to be that IDEAS (well, cuusoo) was for ideas and you didn't need a fleshed out build to enter.

[jonwil]

I think one of the goals of Ideas is to draw people who aren't necessarily LEGO fans into buying LEGO.

The Saturn V Rocket certainly did that from what I have observed.

I suspect things like the globe and the typewriter are also aimed at doing that.

 

[MAB]

10 minutes ago, jonwil said:

I think one of the goals of Ideas is to draw people who aren't necessarily LEGO fans into buying LEGO.

The Saturn V Rocket certainly did that from what I have observed.

I suspect things like the globe and the typewriter are also aimed at doing that.

 

Yes, but it does make you wonder is the market for a non-functioning model typewriter than same as that for a (obviously non-functioning) model rocket.

[adwind]

I'm feeling like the violin that's gathering support now will ended up as an approved idea. Even taking into account there are 2 musical instruments already in the series.

[JintaiZ]

5 hours ago, adwind said:

I'm feeling like the violin that's gathering support now will ended up as an approved idea. Even taking into account there are 2 musical instruments already in the series.

The designers could do a complete musical series but there is also a possibility of rejecting other musical sets as there are 2 already...

[Tube Map Central]

5 hours ago, adwind said:

I'm feeling like the violin that's gathering support now will ended up as an approved idea. Even taking into account there are 2 musical instruments already in the series.

The violin had a straight bridge, which is a huge no-no for competent violinists, just looking at it will upset them, they will hate it.

[adwind]

3 minutes ago, Tube Map Central said:

The violin had a straight bridge, which is a huge no-no for competent violinists, just looking at it will upset them, they will hate it.

Not a big deal to redesign it

[tomorrowboy]

9 hours ago, Mountain Man said:

Against popular opinion I also think their competitions to design a car / musical instrument etc are a positive step as its giving a bounded brief and one you know Lego actually wants. 

I think these are only positive if people can get actually get them. I think the way they handled the car (e.g. it selling out in less than four days) was a disaster.

[Tube Map Central]

24 minutes ago, adwind said:

Not a big deal to redesign it

Indeed, but a big deal for them to realise they need to redesign it.

I'm learning to play music, still at the completely-useless level, but even for me the way that they mis-sold that piano as playable suggests that no one working for Lego can play a musical instrument.

[Mountain Man]

11 hours ago, tomorrowboy said:

I think these are only positive if people can get actually get them. I think the way they handled the car (e.g. it selling out in less than four days) was a disaster.

Selling out in minutes is a disaster. Selling out in a few days is well judged as its clearly acted as an encouragement to purchase which is what it's intended to be. 

[jonwil]

Still annoyed that the Ideas Research Institute went from "not yet for sale" to "sold out for good" before I could even see it in stock, let alone buy one.

Been trying to acquire all the parts ever since (I still haven't been able to find that printed star chart from a source I can justify buying it from given shipping etc)

 

[koalayummies]

22 hours ago, tomorrowboy said:

I think these are only positive if people can get actually get them. I think the way they handled the car (e.g. it selling out in less than four days) was a disaster.

Regular builders were certainly left disappointed.

10 hours ago, Mountain Man said:

Selling out in minutes is a disaster. Selling out in a few days is well judged as its clearly acted as an encouragement to purchase which is what it's intended to be. 

TLG not enforcing their own rules regarding promotions will result in regular average builders being pretty disappointing and understandably viewing it as kind of a disaster. When the average builders see dozens of people somehow getting their hands on 10 or more of what it listed in the fine print as one-per-customer, when that average builder can't even get one, then those same people turning around and hocking them for $30 or more each... There were a number of EB members feeling disgusted by this.

[doomguy]

On 2/10/2021 at 5:32 AM, MAB said:

I also find them boring, and quite poor representations of what they are meant to be. They are probably about as good as you can do in LEGO form at the scale, but I'd prefer a realistic globe or a decent print over the LEGO form, at a fraction of the cost. But then, I have enough LEGO in my life that I don't need such common display-and-no-play objects made out of LEGO, so I don't think I am the sort of person that most of this style of set is aimed at (Maze, Ship in a Bottle, Typewriter, Piano, Globe, Nintendo, etc). But I guess they must sell as LEGO keeps pumping them out. I guess the same could be said of Saturn V. It is really just a display object, but it feels somehow different to displaying a globe built from LEGO.

I think TLG is trying to appeal to adults that are more interested in pop culture display pieces for their home office or something, I've noticed that LEGO has really increased the number of release of display models like the art theme, or the helmet displays of star wars and etc ever since the pandemic started.

[jonwil]

Yeah I think LEGO is absolutely targeting people who want a display piece (I see things like the Saturn V Rocket, the ISS, the Creator cars and more in the background of YouTube videos all the time)

 

[adwind]

12 hours ago, jonwil said:

Yeah I think LEGO is absolutely targeting people who want a display piece (I see things like the Saturn V Rocket, the ISS, the Creator cars and more in the background of YouTube videos all the time)

 

At the same time, I can't say the Tree House or Pirate Bay are 100% display pieces. Honestly I stopped trying to predict who will be approved - it's just the matter of chance and pretty unpredictable :) 

[RichardGoring]

13 hours ago, adwind said:

At the same time, I can't say the Tree House or Pirate Bay are 100% display pieces. Honestly I stopped trying to predict who will be approved - it's just the matter of chance and pretty unpredictable :) 

My four year old loves playing with them. And no doubt will with the blacksmith shop too. They are definitely playsets. Same with Friends Central Perk.

[Merlo]

5 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

My four year old loves playing with them. And no doubt will with the blacksmith shop too. They are definitely playsets. Same with Friends Central Perk.

Your four year old has a much higher dexterity stat than I do, things keep falling off when I just move those sets, let alone play with them :)

[RichardGoring]

4 hours ago, Merlo said:

Your four year old has a much higher dexterity stat than I do, things keep falling off when I just move those sets, let alone play with them :)

Ha!

Some things fall off. Some things get purposely removed. Many things get added. It is all part of the fun. But just wanted to share a data point that they're definitely also playsets.

[MatthewRC]

On 2/4/2021 at 6:35 PM, Exetrius said:

@toastergrl Congratulations! 

The Van Gogh project stands out in originality, I can see an interesting build experience and good parts pack result from it. 

I am bummed that neither Avatar: Last Airbender, nor Naruto, have made it... Both are icons in animation history, and very popular to this day. 

I wonder if Naruto is still allowed on LEGO Ideas? I messaged @DadiTwins on Instagram and they said their project was denied due to a license conflict involving a Chinese competitor.

[Merlo]

15 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

Ha!

Some things fall off. Some things get purposely removed. Many things get added. It is all part of the fun. But just wanted to share a data point that they're definitely also playsets.

To be fair, as a father, anything with minifigures is a playset to a child, be it a complex Lego set or a household object than can make-believe into something else ☺

[RichardGoring]

8 hours ago, Merlo said:

To be fair, as a father, anything with minifigures is a playset to a child, be it a complex Lego set or a household object than can make-believe into something else ☺

True. Yesterday we had Unikitty turn the detectives office into a tyre factory and then build a radio tower and bell to catch a their trying to hide and steak the tyres. It was fun.