LEGO Ideas Discussion

[MAB]

I don't see why they'd spend much time considering a modular coming through the ideas route. They already have a modular line, with sets coming out in a steady release plan, and probably have a backlog of designs waiting to be released. I doubt anyone can come up with an idea for a (popular) modular that they have not already thought of. And if they do, lego can release their own design of a similar building as part of the modular line rather than as an ideas set.

[legoman19892]

I think the natural history museum is a counter argument to your claim that a modular Ideas set would be made. Or do you have thoughts as to why the museum not getting made doesn't translate into modular sets being off-limits for Ideas? Was the museum too big even for a modular? Conflicting with other products? (isn't there a museum of some sort in the Scooby Doo line?) Wrong color scheme/subject matter/etc to work? Something else?

See UCS Helicarrier.

Edited July 24, 2015 by legoman19892

[Lyichir]

A great and in all likelihood highly accurate summary of what the real likely outcomes will be. I still suspect that there is room for a 1000-2000 piece CuuSoo set. But probably not a lot of such room. If or when we get it it will only be a set that they have rock solid pre existing sales data for. I hold out the examples of Modular Buildings and Technic as both are very much adult collector lines and both have had highly successful sold out fan designed sets released in the past within that size bracket. As I have said in the past they know not only how many actual customers they have for those two type products. They know exactly who they are and where they live.

I have one other correlate to Shady's point #2. Use common parts. Call it 2a, Use Modern Parts. Don't use parts from pre 2006, when they did their great mold purge. Ressurecting an old or retired or mothballed mold is an extensive undertaking. After the issues they had with the one old mold with the Exo-Suit they will probably seek to avoid doing so again for short run Ideas sets.

I would agree that they'd only go for a set that they had strong pre-existing sales data for, but the modular buildings are probably a terrible example. While they have the sales data for those, they are also already releasing those sets at a steady one-per-year rate, with no idea whether the market could bear an additional modular building on top of the regular yearly release.

A better example would be a type of set that has shown strong sales potential, but from a lapsed or otherwise inactive category of sets. For example, it's possible that a large train set (such as the Emerald Night or Horizon Express) could have a chance of success given enough support, particularly if it achieved the votes during an "off year" when no similar sets had recently been released. Another example would be a large Creator vehicle like the recent Ferrari or Mini Cooper—a set like that would probably be much easier to fit into a release schedule than a modular building, particularly if the set represents a popular model of vehicle that has not been represented in a similar set before. In both cases, the trick would be to create a project that is reliable, novel, and popular all at once. Something that, while not groundbreaking in terms of the category of set it represents, would still be something uniquely appealing that had not been seen before in Lego. Another type of modular building probably wouldn't cut it, at least unless it had something to set it apart from the many, many ideas Lego has probably already considered for that product category.

[jonwil]

I could see the Corvette potentially fitting into the "larger car models" category and being green-lit for that reason although it depends on whether GM is willing to do a suitable deal. There is also the potential issue where the Corvette isn't so well known outside of America whereas the VW Beetle, VW Bus, Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Mini are all fairly well known/recognizable (at least the general model and shape if not the superfine detail) on both sides of the pond.

There is a really nice Ideas item that is basically the same as the many-in-one Hobby Train set from a while back except its for steam locomotives. That would be a perfect set for Ideas if it got to 10k. They dont have any current AFOL-targeted train set short of some remnant stock of the Horizon Express hanging around somewhere. As far as I know the AFOL-targeted trains they have done (Horizon Express, Emerald Night, Maresk Train and going back things like the Santa Fe) have sold fairly well. And the Ideas project could easily be done at a price point around US$110-$120 or so if they have the right mix of parts which puts it a fair bit below the price point for the modulars and is more like the price points LEGO uses for the most expensive regular retail sets in themes like City (Spaceport, Divers boat), Friends (hotel) and others.

IMO It would be popular with anyone who likes steam locomotives because it would have so many different styles buildable in the one box.

Edited July 24, 2015 by jonwil

[BirdOPrey5]

Big Bang theory officially comes out August 1st- but has anyone seen it for sale already? Do stores normally sell it early?

[AFOLguy1970]

I think the natural history museum is a counter argument to your claim that a modular Ideas set would be made. Or do you have thoughts as to why the museum not getting made doesn't translate into modular sets being off-limits for Ideas? Was the museum too big even for a modular? Conflicting with other products? (isn't there a museum of some sort in the Scooby Doo line?) Wrong color scheme/subject matter/etc to work? Something else?

Had the Natural History Museum been made, I do not think it would have conflicted at all with the Scooby Museum Mystery. The Scooby set is not an actual structure, it is simply an Egyptian mummy exhibit. If anything, I think the museum would have actually encouraged more purchases of the Scooby set, because it would have been a great addition to the museum. That was actually my plan up until they shot down the museum.

[Phoxtane]

Whatever happened to the announced Scooby-Doo set anyway? I saw it pop up on the typical pop culture websites briefly, never to be seen again.

[Blondie-Wan]

The Scooby-Doo! sets are just now starting to show up in stores; I believe they're officially supposed to come out on Augusf 1st, but some stores are putting them out early. And it is indeed a whole theme, not just a single set.

[dr_spock]

Big Bang theory officially comes out August 1st- but has anyone seen it for sale already? Do stores normally sell it early?

Someone reported Mastermind Toys have them now.

[talos]

How does everyone feel about the 'staff picks' part of the front page of the Ideas site? I always have to laugh at what ends up there, not that unique or interesting usually. Far as I can tell, always very small projects. I wonder why they have that, its really biased to whom ever they are's tastes or interests..not an even cross section of what is submitted...

[Robert8]

How does everyone feel about the 'staff picks' part of the front page of the Ideas site? I always have to laugh at what ends up there, not that unique or interesting usually. Far as I can tell, always very small projects. I wonder why they have that, its really biased to whom ever they are's tastes or interests..not an even cross section of what is submitted...

Agree.

I think they just highlight there the sets they like.

But I've seen big sets there. Sets that we all know they won't approve if they get the 10000 votes.

[dr_spock]

Staff picks are what they are--something that someone on the staff likes. You can agree or disagree with their choice. It's probably not worth much trying to read more into it than what it is.

On the other hand, it's great that our Eurobricks' own Oky's Inside Out: Headquarters was staff picked.

[BirdOPrey5]

Agree.

I think they just highlight there the sets they like.

That sounds exactly like what the definition of a staff pick is. Stuff the staff likes. No more, no less. A couple of my projects made it, they weren't small.

[talos]

Well I was interpreting it as a broad cross section of all that is submitted, not just a particular person's personal taste in projects... I can see your point of view as well..

[lightningtiger]

That sounds exactly like what the definition of a staff pick is. Stuff the staff likes. No more, no less. A couple of my projects made it, they weren't small.

Well, my skid loader is small and it made it just before 'Oky's Inside Out project got selected by staff as well.

Though being a staff pick hasn't really helped it, still low numbers of support for it.

Personally even though I support the digitally rendered and designed projects, I feel brick built shows the project in the full light of day, how it would look for real as if you just finished assemblying it.

Well, that's the tiger's two cents for today.

[talos]

^thats good, you got something highlighted, I have supported several of your projects.

I guess I shouldn't of made a comment. I just was thinking that a random project scroll that was computer selected would be better, always changing, highlighting new as well as older projects, that mostly get lost once they fall down the chronological list. If you don't choose tags well, you don't get much exposure after a month or so, only someone searching for some specific theme would be finding a particular project.

[Oky]

On the other hand, it's great that our Eurobricks' own Oky's Inside Out: Headquarters was staff picked.

Thanks! I'm quite honored myself, especially considering my project was published just a day before it was picked!

[9v system]

for the next wave that is still being approved do we know what has been rejected yet?

[Robert8]

Thanks! I'm quite honored myself, especially considering my project was published just a day before it was picked!

And now your project is in the "Popular this week" section

Congrats

[Dorayaki]

Staff picks are what they are--something that someone on the staff likes. You can agree or disagree with their choice. It's probably not worth much trying to read more into it than what it is.

What bothers me is that some are probably related to the license debates or invisible rules, such as the picked LotR projects or oversize projects. Though I don't exactly remember whether Ideas team had ever rejected staff-picks?

Thanks! I'm quite honored myself, especially considering my project was published just a day before it was picked!

Don't worry you deserve this. Edited August 1, 2015 by Dorayaki

[Faefrost]

What bothers me is that some are probably related to the license debates or invisible rules, such as the picked LotR projects or oversize projects. Though I don't exactly remember whether Ideas team had ever rejected staff-picks?

Don't worry you deserve this.

I'm pretty sure Ideas "staff picks" are exactly the same as the "staff recommendations" you see at a Barnes and Noble. In other words just stuff that the Ideas community managers like. What they pick has no bearing on review success or viability.

[jonwil]

I have one other correlate to Shady's point #2. Use common parts. Call it 2a, Use Modern Parts. Don't use parts from pre 2006, when they did their great mold purge. Ressurecting an old or retired or mothballed mold is an extensive undertaking. After the issues they had with the one old mold with the Exo-Suit they will probably seek to avoid doing so again for short run Ideas sets.

The mold in question (the robot arm clip piece) was an active mold at the time the Exo-Suit was produced (including being used in light bley in several 2013 sets before being used in 2014 in the Exo-Suit and Benny's Spaceship Spaceship SPACESHIP!) so no it wasn't some old mothballed mold. It just happened that the mold in question was nearing end-of-life at the time it did a production run of lt bley parts that ended up in the Exo-Suit (hence the need to replace it with a new one for the next runs of the part including the lt bley parts used in at least 3 sets so far this year)

But yes I do agree with the statement not to use obsolete molds that may not exist anymore (or if they do exist may be too much work to bring back to life). I was going to suggest not to use parts from the Collectable Minifigures line or that are otherwise made in their China factory on the basis that those aren't allowed in Ideas sets but then I remembered that the Ecto-1 contained the weight elements that were previously only found in the Series 2 weightlifter and Team GB weightlifter before that so CMF parts must be OK in Ideas sets.

[Blondie-Wan]

I was going to suggest not to use parts from the Collectable Minifigures line or that are otherwise made in their China factory on the basis that those aren't allowed in Ideas sets but then I remembered that the Ecto-1 contained the weight elements that were previously only found in the Series 2 weightlifter and Team GB weightlifter before that so CMF parts must be OK in Ideas sets.

So-called "CMF parts" aren't some sort of special, magical things available only to that line; they're LEGO elements like any other, and once they're created there's no reason why they wouldn't / shouldn't be available to other lines, including Ideas.

[Robert8]

This project reached the 10000 supporters today.

https://ideas.lego.com/projects/86638

[Faefrost]

But yes I do agree with the statement not to use obsolete molds that may not exist anymore (or if they do exist may be too much work to bring back to life). I was going to suggest not to use parts from the Collectable Minifigures line or that are otherwise made in their China factory on the basis that those aren't allowed in Ideas sets but then I remembered that the Ecto-1 contained the weight elements that were previously only found in the Series 2 weightlifter and Team GB weightlifter before that so CMF parts must be OK in Ideas sets.

The CMF parts are likely not a homogenous "can't be reused". Some of them have shown up in unusual places such as D2C sets and Ideas sets. Don't forget the little statues in the BBT set are CMF molds. I think the re usability of the CMF parts will depend heavily on the nature of the parts. Were they designed for longer term use using ABS? Or were they meant as short run PVC character specific parts?