anothergol

me want grey balloon parts

Not really sure since it's all chinese, but is this Xingbao's version of Lego Ideas? http://www.xingbaoblocks.com/xingbao/website/auth/ideasindex.htm ..or what is it exactly?

Consider that these days, an investment can be just something that doesn't depreciate. I don't even think a bank gives you enough interests anymore to cover inflation, these days. In that sense I don't think a Lego set (especially the licensed ones) can be a "bad investment", especially when bought on sale in the first place. It requires storage, though. But that's pretty much the only risk you take, that & getting it stolen, like any other concrete investment. If you sell an old Taj Mahal set at the price of the new one, well you haven't lost money. While I hate scalpers responsible for the rarity of items (even though, in the case of say Nintendo, it's Nintendo to blame, limited quantities are on purpose), the one who invests in Lego isn't really hurting anyone. He's storing retired stuff and asks a price for it. While I wouldn't buy an overpriced Classic Space set, well, many are available, to those who want one. Without them, they would simply not be available at all. And that would have changed nothing to the availability or price of a Classic Space set back then. I'd like to think that people selling rare parts on BrickLink at crazy prices are a$$holes, but let's face it, if they were selling those parts cheap, they would be sold out & nowhere to be found anymore. So when you need a rare part, well it's expensive, but at least it's there. I'd rather blame Lego for not producing it anymore. The same problem applies to parts btw: I could name several rare parts that are now not rare anymore. Like this one in DBG, it had been produced before this year, and it was very rare & priced at 2eur or something. Well they're cheap now.

Sure. While I don't own any (& wouldn't use them in my MOCs, although some do), I've seen many pics out there (Google Images works well). Jangbricks also does non-Lego reviews where many cool parts can be seen. I've only toyed with a Kre-o Transformers thing and it really had nice parts. Rubber-coated ball-joints, car roof parts *splitted in 2* (I hate compound parts), etc. Many are claiming that other brands have too many specialized parts, but IMHO it's the opposite. I see less compound parts in other brands, except Mega Bloks where they seem to have large fuselage parts in many cases. Funny this one, the round plate+bar that's new for Lego this year, I didn't even know Mega Bloks had it. Kre-o has the best chainable slopes (not steppy!) Ah, Cobi and its amazing wedge TILES... (I don't think the grey matches Lego's perfectly, sadly) And here too, look at how smoothly chained those slope parts are. No staircase effect! I can't imagine Lego changing their system anytime soon, though.

Try to put a quarter round tile on this part for ex (but there are others), you'll see it doesn't sit properly at all, unlike a normal round tile. In fact, I don't think it sits properly on any stud, but it's just more visible when it's chained with other tiles - it bumps out visibly. The "stadium" tile doesn't have this problem either. And quite frankly, it even seems normal that the quarter tile doesn't hold properly.. it is hardly held on one corner. But strangely it's the opposite corner, the square one, that sticks out. And yes, it looks like the new cut slopes are like the old macaroni's, like Lego is thinking "hold on, these new parts aren't quite right, avoid using them". But I'm not seeing any flaw.

I'm talking about 29119/29120 : Ok it's new but it's not that new, it's almost 1 year old now. And yet it has appeared in just 5 sets, and on B&P it's still overexpensive, like Lego is treating this part as a limited/exclusive (like, minifig accessory), while it's in the same category as 11477 (obviously), or even 24201 which is as recent and is now widely available. To add to the insult, Lego just released this in LBG, my fav color, in that exlcusive Boba Fett BrickHeadz, meaning that it now exists in LBG, only you have to shell 150 for just a pair. And I've only spotted it in one of the upcoming sets... At first I thought that part was flawed and Lego was considering not producing it anymore, but it's fine. Ironically, this new part IS flawed (it doesn't hold properly on -some- studs) and yet it has already become a classic (& I love it). ..I don't understand. Could it be because Mega Bloks (I believe) already had such a part for a long time, and Lego doesn't wanna look like it's now cloning other brands? Well Lego: PLEASE copy other brands. Mega Bloks has all the good parts, wedge tiles, better brackets, and some clones have better (chainable) slopes as well. Could it be because it's a pair, and Lego doesn't like to produce parts in pairs (they surely seem to prefer compounds)? But then that doesn't explain why it's available in 4 colors, while used in just 5 sets.

Hi, it's a light brick. Easy to find in red, exists in orange as well. (also it's optional if you don't want light)

I think it's not bad, but it doesn't try to hide its target. It's a bit too colorful and the architecture doesn't try to make sense. But yeah as a castle theme for girls, it works. Yeah perhaps. Although, ironically, Lego Technic is also about existing vehicles, and it's totally at the opposite in the age range. I would love to like Technic, especially the robotics, but I find it equally boring, because too complex. It looks like another world of Lego that will never really merge with the other. I admire all the work in making engines work & all of that, I even think cool Technic MOCs rarely get the attention they deserve, but I don't know, it bores me. Perhaps because stuff made out of beams & colorful pins looks less good, or it's because it's always existing vehicles.

with a movie just out, I really can't imagine Ninjago going. I'm not into Ninjago, haven't seen the movie but I hate the show as much as I hate that horrible 3D & the backgrounds that don't look Lego at all (is it really that much harder to animate like Lego movies?), BUT -I can imagine kids being into it. When I was a kid, my minifigs were often ninja's (using the black hoods from the Castle theme). But then again.. ninja's were a thing in the 80's. -it recently gave us 2 of the best sets, with Ninjago city & the boat. Regardless of the show, they're pretty amazing.

Yeah I entered the Lego world right for the first classic space sets, and the second (if the yellow one counts) castle. So 10 or even 5 years older and your view on Lego was surely pretty different & boring. I don't think Lego would even still be there if they hadn't started with fancy themes, the minifig, and had just kept doing boring bricks, doors, windows & wheels. Ironically, while my family was too poor for large Lego sets, it's because I was poor that I had a few small Lego sets. Because Star Wars toys were expensive, and later Transformers as well. Not that Lego was cheap per part, but it's really the availability of small sets that counts. And yeah I had a Playmobil era as well. but did they ask for those sets? (or were they gifts?)

You sure? http://www.reuters.com/article/lego-chinafactory/toy-maker-lego-plans-to-build-first-china-factory-idUSL6N0CACJ720130318 "The Lego Group does not operate its own manufacturing facility in China currently but expects the new factory to supply approximately 70 percent to 80 percent of all Lego products sold in the region in 2017."

It's really when those licenses were around that Lego should have tried their luck with that horrible Nexo Knights. Because yeah, LOTR was pretty much a castle theme, and a good one. And today there's nothing remotely close to a castle theme. If you had asked me what defines Lego when I was a kid, 30 years ago, I would have said castles & spaceships. And today, both have disappeared. Star Wars is ok for spaceships (only problem with licenses is the lack of freedom in designs), I can understand the good old naive classic space is for old farts like me anyway, and I'm happy with the few hommage set(s) that the Lego Movies brought/will bring. I think Benny's spaceship can only work as a one-off anyway. I don't think I'd really wanna see a full reboot of classic space, a few sets are ok. And perhaps it's really that idea that Lego has always been defined by castles & spaceships that gave.. whoever got that terrible idea.. the idea of merging both, actually killing the last of Lego's old icons. Meanwhile Lego City is still more alive than ever. I didn't understand it as a kid, I still don't. I can understand that a kid wanna play with the same garbage truck as his father drives, and that there are a big lot of garbage truck drivers out there obviously. But it's still boring as hell. But ok, it's "safe" for kids I guess.

Playmobil / Knex / Meccano & others aren't direct competition, though. They're as competition as video games & social media because they take kid's time. Lego's real direct competition is within a kid's time (whether that shrinks or not, and it probably does but Lego can't do anything about it, other than getting in video games themselves, which they did) dedicated to bricks. That's where Mega-Blocks is, but only for 25 years, not 50. I'm surprised that patents aren't enforced per-part, though. It's quite fair that everyone can produce a 2x4 brick, even if Lego had "invented" it instead of stealing it in the first place (I can only laugh at the good old argument that "oh but they invented THE TUBES!"), it would be so old that it would be in the public domain anyway. But it's surprising that Mega-Blocks got away cloning more recent parts. I mean it's surprising that this was ruled ok in our countries. Because as for China, they never cared & Lego never had a chance. And Lego probably doesn't are either, Lego's problem is more with Aliexpress. If the paying-world couldn't get access to Lepin, Lego would not care. They're not losing a Chinese market they weren't interested it in the first place. Did Lego just build a new factory in China JUST to have a leg to stand on in their lawsuit? Well if that's the case, China should thank Lepin for getting Lego to invest there.

I don't understand the Ebay point. I've once discussed that somewhere else, it makes no sense. Ordering legit Lego through Ebay & receiving Lepin instead, is exactly the same as getting a box full of rocks, or nothing at all, Lepin isn't even in the equation here. When that happens, you get a refund, that's all. Lepin didn't need to exist for scams to exist. Here I'm watching Xingbao close, because I loved their first batch of sets (the ones designed by the Arvo bros). If Lego doesn't care about that niche market that we are, well it's good that another company does. I didn't even have a problem with the quality (or the 3 sets I bought), more with the deigns themselves full of hacks. Those who've assembled Kaneda's bike will understand what I'm talking about. But I also don't like Lego's obsession with sturdiness, I think the right spot is somewhere in-between. A MOC that's not a nightmare to assemble, that holds by itself, but doesn't sacrifice look for kid-proofing. I also wonder if there would be a market for high-quality clones.That is, these days you can find pretty much every part chromed in every material, and they sell for high prices (compared to the base parts). Now imagine clone parts that exhibit no mold mark like Lego's do (especially annoying on Technic panels, they always cover them with stickers), have non-kid-friendly pointiness where needed, etc. I don't think I'd use them because I prefer my MOCs "pure", but I wouldn't use chromed parts or third-party weapons either. But yeah, this to say that Lego doesn't offer the best possible quality either. It was even better in the past. Parts of my childhood (and it's not just a memory, I still own them) show less molding marks.

Firefox here. But Win7, so no Edge for me. funny, I've only once received too many of one part, but quite some missing ones. 6 missing in my last order again (I don't bother reporting because I once did & they offered me 5eur in points, that has covered all the next mistakes so far)

Did they say why? It does seem to fit the rules

Didn't order any, not interested in those

by phone, normally. Did by email because their phone # doesn't work for me, but still had to phone (some UK number that did work) to pay, anyway.

Ah, here I tend to inflate my order as I retype it. So I couldn't call Lego, but they made me a new order according to what I asked by email, and surprisingly, most of the parts I wanted are indeed available. All "useful" parts, no licensed stuff or animals, so yeah, those are there too, even the new "stud+bar". So it works! An interesting one is 6192787, wich is expensive, but that's one that's not on BL yet, and that has little chances to ever appear, as I can't imagine many BL sellers parting out a Lego Juniors (Cars) set. Support said that the shop's bugs depend on the browser, but it's pretty much the same thing in FireFox or Chrome, here. Pretty sure it has to do with the target country which keeps changing on its own, sweeping the entire cart.

I just wanted to try the "call Lego to check" technique, since Lego had it confirmed to me by email (that yes, -sometimes- you can add parts listed as not in stock, if you act fast after your order). God I so hate B&P. I'm a veteran buyer, so I always make a screen cap of my order because the link between B&P & the shop is so broken. And indeed it failed again. Even when you have your screenshot, re-typing 80+ lots is really painful.. Anyway, all this to say that, to add to the insult, Lego's phone number isn't even working for me. And they do warn about it, that some providers don't leave you access it. But I'm using the #1 provider in Belgium, and yet my mobile (who still has a fixed line these days?) can't call Lego.. Just perfect. I so wish Lego had an official BrickLink shop... Bricklink is technically flawless. I don't mean that shop owners are flawless, but neither is Lego's B&P anyway. So, tip for those who have never bought at B&P yet, -always- make a screen grab before passing the order from B&P to the shop.

Nice. Too bad you just missed this contest, it was all about that: https://www.lego.com/en-us/rebrick/contest-page/contests/speed-champs-2

Even if for some weird reason, for you The Simpsons isn't PG-rated, it still makes no sense to release only part of the characters. You don't cover the eyes of your child whenever Moe or Barney appears in the show. Either your child watches it, or he doesn't. So either Lego does it, or doesn't. Pretending that those characters don't exist was just a lame move. I guess we should be happy that Bart was even featured, then.

I've had B&P orders shipped within 1 week, others up to 3 weeks. My few first orders were missing parts, the recent ones were fine. From many angles (speed, broken cart system, uneasy search, clear parts not bagged separately & many others) B&P is much inferior to Bricklink, but it's still good to have it.

I thought I'd give this a shot, making instructions available for like one or two bucks (as it still take an hour or two to build proper ones). Well... -MOCPlans: seems to be dead before even being born? You can't even upload anything, and a website can't be "in beta" since 2012. -Rebrickable: nice, I've put instructions there in the past. But they don't handle payments (they suggest.. MOCPlans...) -Bricklink MOC store: half-cool idea in theory. Probably didn't get any success either. It doesn't even recognize parts that are over one year old, I guess it has been abandonned. -MOC Nation: I love the idea of selling the whole thing, because let's face it, hunting for parts sucks. But they're too expensive, and it's probably dying as well. I guess only the chinese will be able to do this properly. Can't imagine buying real Lego parts and release MOCs that aren't 2x or 3x more expensive than Lego sets (which are already too expensive). Well, I'll try Ebay, maybe.

But Lego -has- made them.. To me the beauty & challenge is in doing things with limitations. Here, the limitations should be "legal builds using parts from Lego's history". Within those limitations, whether the actual parts are (digital or) from Lego or not, does it really matter? It's not gonna show on your pictures, the only difference between those will be the price, and I don't think that money should be a deciding factor in this form of "art".