LEGO Ideas Discussion

[jonwil]

The restriction on where they will ship to may have to do with different rules and laws in different countries (both in regards to the actual shipping and in regards to any laws that might apply to crowdfunding).

 

[Blondie-Wan]

3 hours ago, adwind said:

Ideas blog post - https://ideas.lego.com/blogs/a4ae09b6-0d4c-4307-9da8-3ee9f3d368d6/post/7e027d01-6ec9-473c-b6b0-db8f92bbe5af

Where you can track the progress on each design - https://www.bricklink.com/r3/designer-program/introducing.page

Thanks!

[adwind]

Looks like they just got Charlie and the Chocolate factory back to voting 

[RichardGoring]

There are so many amazing designs. I counted 14 that is be delighted with and a further 11 that would be cool to have. So pretty likely that at least one of those will make it. Shame it's limited to 13. But then at the same time, very pleased it's limited to 13!

 

With only 5000 of each set available, I hope they limit it to a small number per person, otherwise I can see these selling out in minutes, and then spring for three times the price on eBay ten minutes later, which would be a real shame.

 

I'll be happy if I can get one.

[Roebuck]

5 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

I hope they limit it to a small number per person

From what I read in the rules there is no limit
 

5 hours ago, RichardGoring said:

There are so many amazing designs.

You can see that they have started to change the design so it will not be exactly as they have posted on Ideas. That always happens anyway with the sets approved by Lego so no big deal, however this time I think the animals and minifigs would be more affected negatively than normal 

[RichardGoring]

4 hours ago, Roebuck said:

From what I read in the rules there is no limit

I was hoping that the no limit part on the FAQ was on the variety of sets you can order, rather than the absolute number of any one set. Otherwise, you just know that someone, or several people, will swoop in and buy several hundred sets for resale, which would be such a disappointment.

[Legochaek]

He much do we think Quest Builder (3547 parts) and Anatomini (2522) will be? £200 +?

[Northgeorgiamasonry]

Will be interesting to see what the demand is for some of these.  In the first BrickLink AFOL designer program, the biggest sets were the castle (~2,000) and the saloon (~1,500).  Now we have a lot of much larger sets.  Questbuilder is 3,500, Studgate train station is 3,800, Ruined House is 4,000+.  Are there going to be that many people who want the Ruined House enough to pay $400 for it?  

 

 

[adwind]

2 hours ago, Northgeorgiamasonry said:

Will be interesting to see what the demand is for some of these.  In the first BrickLink AFOL designer program, the biggest sets were the castle (~2,000) and the saloon (~1,500).  Now we have a lot of much larger sets.  Questbuilder is 3,500, Studgate train station is 3,800, Ruined House is 4,000+.  Are there going to be that many people who want the Ruined House enough to pay $400 for it?  

 

 

My guess is that only small/medium size sets will be successfully crowdfunded. I was hoping the Food Stands are there - I'm sure it would get all 5000 preorder spots in a heart bit!

[Blondie-Wan]

The First 2021 Review Batch is now up to 41 projects (!), and still has time left before it closes.

[Modal]

On 3/19/2021 at 6:32 AM, Northgeorgiamasonry said:

Will be interesting to see what the demand is for some of these.  In the first BrickLink AFOL designer program, the biggest sets were the castle (~2,000) and the saloon (~1,500).  Now we have a lot of much larger sets.  Questbuilder is 3,500, Studgate train station is 3,800, Ruined House is 4,000+.  Are there going to be that many people who want the Ruined House enough to pay $400 for it?  

 

 

There is 0% chance Questbuilder or Ruined House are going to make it through. I can possible see Studgate Train Station but that will be the biggest.

I just hope the castle and windmill make it, I will preorder those in a heartbeat, as I’m sure many others will do as well.

Edited March 21, 2021 by Modal

[JintaiZ]

On 3/19/2021 at 9:32 AM, Northgeorgiamasonry said:

Will be interesting to see what the demand is for some of these.  In the first BrickLink AFOL designer program, the biggest sets were the castle (~2,000) and the saloon (~1,500).  Now we have a lot of much larger sets.  Questbuilder is 3,500, Studgate train station is 3,800, Ruined House is 4,000+.  Are there going to be that many people who want the Ruined House enough to pay $400 for it?  

There is always a possibility since $400 would be a lot cheaper than ordering the parts separately. Though I do think most sets that get crowdfunded would be small/medium sized.

[Exetrius]

What can we expect from the Bricklink designer programme as far as recoloured parts, or prints are concerned? I'm really glad the Bionicle project got a second chance, but without prints it's not going to be the same... 

Also, my new project was finally approved this morning! Thanks for getting me through the approval process, @Alexandrina especially, I really needed it! Behold: https://ideas.lego.com/projects/a6ded12f-0703-4eaa-8e30-3b7739473a0f 

[MAB]

On 3/19/2021 at 12:21 AM, RichardGoring said:

With only 5000 of each set available, I hope they limit it to a small number per person, otherwise I can see these selling out in minutes, and then spring for three times the price on eBay ten minutes later, which would be a real shame.

It wouldn't surprise me if there is a limit when the time comes. BL often use language that is ambiguous. The relevant question in the FAQ is:

How many sets can I pre-order? There is no restriction on the number of pre-orders unless products are sold out.

To some, that may mean they can pre-order as many of each set as they like. However, it might also mean that you can pre-order as many of the 31 designs as you like, so long as they are not already sold out. It wouldn't surprise me if there are limits put on the numbers of each set that an individual can pre-order, and that could even be scaled back if over ordered. That is, maybe allow an individual to pre-order two, but allow up to 5000 people to pre-order. If 5000 people do, then only allow one per person. Otherwise, I can imagine some people will order 100 or more of each. If a set is £200 or $200, £20K or $20K is not that much of an investment for some BL and ebay dealers.

[jonwil]

Leaks are suggesting that the Typewriter is the next Ideas set and landing in June with the Seinfeld set being after that and landing in August.

 

[RichardGoring]

20 hours ago, MAB said:

It wouldn't surprise me if there is a limit when the time comes. BL often use language that is ambiguous. The relevant question in the FAQ is:

How many sets can I pre-order? There is no restriction on the number of pre-orders unless products are sold out.

To some, that may mean they can pre-order as many of each set as they like. However, it might also mean that you can pre-order as many of the 31 designs as you like, so long as they are not already sold out. It wouldn't surprise me if there are limits put on the numbers of each set that an individual can pre-order, and that could even be scaled back if over ordered. That is, maybe allow an individual to pre-order two, but allow up to 5000 people to pre-order. If 5000 people do, then only allow one per person. Otherwise, I can imagine some people will order 100 or more of each. If a set is £200 or $200, £20K or $20K is not that much of an investment for some BL and ebay dealers.

That's how I hope they interpret their own language too - setting a limit of the number of any one set you can order.

[CopperTablet]

The typewriter is going to shelfwarm and it kind of annoys me.    Jamie Berard once said, paraphrased, that Lego was an artistic medium to transport you to worlds that no longer exist (Pirates), are very hard to gain access to ( various Lamborghini sets) or cannot exist (Ninjago, Harry Potter).    Typewriters do exist, and there are tons of them in junk stores that nobody wants.   Why would you buy a nonfunctional Lego typewriter?

[Lyichir]

44 minutes ago, CopperTablet said:

The typewriter is going to shelfwarm and it kind of annoys me.    Jamie Berard once said, paraphrased, that Lego was an artistic medium to transport you to worlds that no longer exist (Pirates), are very hard to gain access to ( various Lamborghini sets) or cannot exist (Ninjago, Harry Potter).    Typewriters do exist, and there are tons of them in junk stores that nobody wants.   Why would you buy a nonfunctional Lego typewriter?

Because you're interested in mechanical devices? Because you like antiques? Why do people feel the need to interrogate why or whether people will actually want a set, especially for the Ideas theme which is the only one where consumer desire is always expressed publicly and is in fact a key requirement for sets to be made in the first place?

Yes, you can buy an old typewriter in a junk store, just like you can buy a non-Lego toy car or spaceship or castle. The reason people might prefer a Lego version of all of those things is because people enjoy building with Lego. The fact that you get to build it is a key part of the appeal of pretty much every single Lego set that's out there, so I don't see why anybody would assume that a non-Lego version of those things would automatically be as interesting or appealing.

[tomorrowboy]

6 hours ago, CopperTablet said:

The typewriter is going to shelfwarm and it kind of annoys me.    Jamie Berard once said, paraphrased, that Lego was an artistic medium to transport you to worlds that no longer exist (Pirates), are very hard to gain access to ( various Lamborghini sets) or cannot exist (Ninjago, Harry Potter).    Typewriters do exist, and there are tons of them in junk stores that nobody wants.   Why would you buy a nonfunctional Lego typewriter?

Why would someone buy a non-functional Lego Nintendo? People buy Lego sets for lots of different reasons.

[Merlo]

15 hours ago, CopperTablet said:

Why would you buy a nonfunctional Lego typewriter? 

I find Lego makes excellent stuff for lying snobs like me. The typewriter? Yeah, I used to be a promising writer. But I developed a relationship with my old typewriter and when it broke I never could replace it. I just couldn't write without it, my career was over after it barely started. I still see my name online sometimes, people wonder where I went, because the little I wrote was so profound and life-changing. I just don't have the heart to tell them the real reason is so banal.

The globe? I used to travel the world a lot in my early days. There's so much we can learn from other cultures, but refuse to do so while becoming victims of our modern way of life. If you only spent a month or two with the tribes I've been with, you'd see things differently, trust me. But anthropology does not pay the rent so after financing many of my expeditions myself I just had to close that chapter of my life.

The piano? Oh I was a jazz pianist extraordinaire. Went to the jazz conservatory in Vienna practically on a bet but ended up with a full stipend in no time. Everyone was watching my every move until at one point they didn't... they said I was too extravagant, too avant-garde. I had to contain myself, my ability, my musicality, just to be appreciated... that drove me to seek a different way of expression. I found this one of a kind old typewriter and for a while it became my life, until, well... I thought about going back to piano, but arthritis got the better of me by that point. My fingers couldn't stand all the playing and writing combined.

Dinosaur fossils? Well...

 

[koalayummies]

21 hours ago, CopperTablet said:

Why would you buy a nonfunctional Lego typewriter?

Because nostalgia sells and a number of adults are consumed by it. They could do a whole series of 'back in my day' contraptions:

• ye olde bellows 'view' camera (digital is better)
• phonograph (archival non-degrading media is preferable)
• rotary dial telephone (touchscreen is superior)
• telegraph (lol)
• penny farthing

[Exetrius]

6 hours ago, Merlo said:

I find Lego makes excellent stuff for lying snobs like me. The typewriter?

[…]

Dinosaur fossils? Well...

Man, you should have pursued that writing career, this is gold 

[Legochaek]

I decided to figure out the likelihood of my favourite sets getting through, so I ordered the bricklink designer program sets by amount of comments. Of course, smaller sets may garner less interest while larger ones may receive more comments and less purchases, due to the price. The castle is clearly far ahead but near the bottom of the 13 there’s stiff  competition. 
 

rank.set-number of comments
1.Castle-183 

2.Train station - 126

3.Seasons in time-115

4.Winter chalet- 93

5.Bionicle-88

6.Temple of Hermit-64

7.Fishing boat-61

8.Diner-57

9.Mountain windmill- 53

10.Exploratorium-48

11.Construction site-44

12.Dive shop-43

13.Ruined house-42

(14.Lego store-41)

(15.Brickwest studios-39)

(16.Anatomini-38)

(16.Kakapo-38)

(18.Quest builder-36)

(19.Bowling alley-34)

(20.Venetian houses-33)

(20.Observatory-33)

(20.Pursuit of flight-33)

(23.Safe-30)

(24.Boat repair-27)

)25.Boat house diner-23)

(26.Aquarium-21)

(27.Waterfall-20)

(28.Japenese old style architecture-18)

(29.Particle accelerator-10)

(30.Space troopers-7)

(31.Science adventures- 5)

Edited March 24, 2021 by Lego-fire

[JintaiZ]

4 hours ago, Lego-fire said:

 

Thanks for the info! To add on...

If new moulds are NOT included:

1. Train Station: Studgate
2. Seasons in Time Calendar
3. Winter Chalet
4. Temple of Hermit
5. Castle in the Forest
6. The Great Fishing Boat
7. The Legend of Bionicle
8. 1950's Diner
9. Mountain Windmill
10. Exploratorium
11. Modular Construction Site
12. Dive Shop
13. Ruined House
14. LEGO Store Modular
15. Brickwest Studios
16. Anatomini
16. Kakapo
18. Retro Bowling Alley
19. Venetian Houses
19. Observatory Mountain View
19. Pursuit of Flight
22. Quest Builder
23. Sherlock's Safe
24. Boat Repair Shop
25. Boat House Diner
26. Clockwork Aquarium
27. Japanese Old Style Architecture
28. Space Troopers
29. Science Adventures
30. Working Waterfall
31. Particle Accelerator

Note: Pursuit of Flight and Particle Accelerator's instructions are already shared publicly, which means it will have a significant disadvantage since many people probably built one already.

Conclusion: Most sets have a slight advantage since they do not have new moulds, but the sets that do include new moulds will have a huge disadvantage here.

 

In consideration of the price:

1. Seasons In Time Calendar
2. The Castle in the Forest
3. Winter Chalet
4. The Legend of Bionicle
5. Train Station: Studgate
6. 1950's Diner
7. The Great Fishing Boat
8. Temple of Hermit
9. The Mountain Windmill
10. Exploratorium
11. Modular Construction Site
12. The Dive Shop
13. LEGO Store Modular
14. Ruined House
15. Brickwest Studios
16. Kakapo
17. Retro Bowling Alley
18. Anatomini
19. Pursuit of Flight
20. Sherlock's Safe
21. Quest Builder
22. Observatory Mountain View
23. Venetian Houses
24. Clockwork Aquarium
25. Boat Repair Shop
26. Boat House Diner
27. Japanese Old Style Architecture
28. Working Waterfall
29. Science Adventures
30. Particle Accelerator
31. Space Troopers

Conclusion: Big sets always get more enthusiasm than smaller sets. However, there are no doubt that people will become hesitant about buying the set(s) when the price is revealed. To successfully make it through, big sets should have about 50% more comments than smaller ones.

[CopperTablet]

I didn't like the Nintendo, either, but there are lots of Nintendo fanboys (we used to call them Nintendrones) who will buy anything with Mario on it.     So, at least Lego can move product.  

The old Mark Rosewater quote "This product is not for you" is very pertinent here.