BlackThunderTJ

Hey there! I was planning to open up either a single topic, or even a set of topics (over time), highlighting parts I've enjoyed using in my designs and asking others about how they've used them in their MOCs, and I had a few questions: Where should I put a topic like this? My current thinking is just in the General LEGO Discussion forum. Or, is there already a topic / ongoing thread I could simply add this to? (At first glance I couldn't see anything similar in recent topics, at least not in the General LEGO Discussion) Should I perhaps try and have a single topic/thread for all future part highlights I do, and just keep adding to it as I come up with new ones (this could work well to maintain an ongoing general discussion, instead of everything getting scattered). Or, would it work to have one topic per highlight to help keep the discussion focused on that particularly piece, e.g. "Part Highlight - Part no. 3386"? (This highlights the part in the title, which might be handy for any viewer to have a quick reference). If I did one "thread" per part I would definitely try to keep it infrequent though, so as to avoid creating too many new topics in any space of time. I just thought I'd double check as I'm still working out the best places and ways to post and discuss certain topics. Thanks in advance for any help! BlackThunderTJ (@aFrInati0n I just thought I'd '@mention' someone just to help prevent this lying undiscovered for some time. It seems no one has posted here for a while )

From what I've picked up from more recent discussions, here's another two (or four) cents (or pence) worth from me: Alternate Brands: Regarding alternate brands (I think other people have already mentioned this, and it got me thinking along a similar line): ultimately the people building MOCs or sets with these alternate brands are people that share a liking of love of building with bricks and elements much like those made by LEGO. As I mentioned before, if the forums for these alternate brands are separate, LEGO-based discussions will remain just that, and I would guess very little would change on the surface. And, it gives the people who enjoy using these brands another place to chat, and a single site for fans of both LEGO and these alternate brands to talk to each other. There is of course the ongoing thread regarding legality of some of these brands, and that's an important matter for sure, but at the very least in terms of the legal alternate brands that could be discussed openly on Eurobricks, it comes back to people sharing a love of building with similar elements (some of which are totally unique to certain brands, others are "shared"). The point made by @Mylenium is also a good one: in some cases there are certain limitations on the shape and overall design of a part, such as with a 1x1 plate or brick element, as much as you may want to vary it. LEGO + Alternate Brand MOCs: On the separate subject of "mixed-brand MOCs", as @JesseNight mentioned a few times, I think seeing a primarily LEGO build with something like a double-sided 2x4 plate (for example) might feel a bit odd at first, simply because it doesn't fully fit the LEGO system. That said however, I also think it could also be really interesting to see once you see past the "that isn't possible in the LEGO system" oddness. The point made about using parts that exist in LEGO and are not exclusive to other brands, but using a colour LEGO doesn't use for those parts, is also particularly interesting because… I've done it. Many of the parts I have used in my digital builds on BrickLink Studio simply don't exist in LEGO because of the colours I've used (that's part of the appeal of Studio: you can have many of the elements made by LEGO in pretty much any LEGO colour you like, and you have virtually limitless amounts of them). Also, the use of LEGO-type elements made in colours LEGO don't produce would allow people to go beyond visualising that element in that colour in a digital render: you could have a real version of the concept design sitting in front of you. Furthermore, as JesseNight, mentioned, separating the "mixed-brands" MOCs could quickly become difficult, especially if four brands are used in one build, or there is only a single non-LEGO element in the whole thing for example. In short: I think "mixed-brand MOCs" could be quite interesting to see because they're forged from a combination of two "brick-building" systems that happen to work together because they essentially have the same foundation (even if the combos look a bit odd because they don't fully fit the LEGO system). And, there's the matter of getting to see a real version of a build with parts in colours LEGO currently don't make, not just seeing a digital render. There's just the consideration of how to sort the MOCs owing to aspects such as shared vs exclusive parts, varying colours, etc. --- Anyhow, that's my latest thoughts for now on some of the threads that have spun off from the main discussion! (I find all of these discussions quite intriguing). Returning to the main poll / discussion, as mentioned in my previous post, I still think options #2 or #3 are worth pursuing, and then I would imagine the specifics can be gradually worked out as the changes are applied. I'd actually be really interested to see how this goes!

Thank you @aFrInati0n! I definitely think I'll enjoy my time here chatting with fellow LEGO fans!

I haven't brushed up on this whole thread (I've read a few fragments of it), so I apologise in advance if anything I mention doesn't quite fit the current context, but I just thought I'd throw my two cents (or pence) worth in on the main topic: After some consideration I felt inclined to opt for option #2 or #3 in the original poll. I'm quite organised, so the idea of multiple sub-forums (one per brand) definitely appeals to me, as it would likely help to prevent multi-brand confusion in a single forum. The idea of starting small (single dedicated forum for all alternate brands) and building from there also strikes me as a very good idea, to get a feel for the change and then either adapt from there, or leave it as-is. I agree with @Slegengr, it's definitely useful to be able to quickly narrow in on the information you're looking for, which is another argument for separate forums for alternate brands, instead of placing them all in one. (I believe I understood your point correctly? I apologise if not) Also, as I believe some people have already mentioned, if the alternate brand discussions are in separate forums, the LEGO-based discussions / forums will remain entirely LEGO-based, so I would imagine very little will change on the surface of this site and the forums. I should mention I'm a new member here, so I haven't really gotten a feel for anything yet, but I would personally agree with having one or several separate forums for alternate brands. While I'm pretty much exclusively a LEGO fan, I've definitely seen some quite interesting sets and parts from other (I believe legitimate) brands. I would say adding new forums here gives people another place to discuss them, and an easier way for both LEGO fans and fans of alternate brands (or fans of both) to easily chat with each other, because everything is on one site.

Hello there! I'm a very long-term LEGO fan, collector and MOC designer who has held the titles of KFOL, TFOL and now AFOL (there's no such thing as liking LEGO for too long!). I really like designing modular builds, display scenes and sets with lots of playability, and the primary themes of my designs are the Georgian era (like the Pirates sets), historic periods in general, and fantasy. If I can cram at least a few play features into a tiny space, in many cases I will (especially with my personal creations)! Most of my "serious" LEGO designs over the past few years has been digital, because of the freedom I have to use elements that don't exist, and that I don't currently have in my collection. Any builds I create from my collection are usually short-term, and only for me. They also often end up with a lot of odd colours! As I've been working on my designs I've started pushing myself to be more and more ambitious with designs, trying to use parts in clever and unexpected ways (e.g. a croissant as a building decoration, or a black grass element as the ornate detailing on a lantern, which I did in one of my builds), and trying to create really interesting shapes. Many of my current projects are focused on Lego Ideas submissions, partly because I would love to have a set published, but also because it feels like it pushes me to try new things, and to keep honing my skills. I've never been a part of any LEGO forum in the real world or online before, so I'm still finding my feet. I'm really looking forward to learning all about being a part of a LEGO community, and meeting you all! BlackThunderTJ