JINZONINGEN73

I'm gonna' go with no. For one thing, more (and dead) sub-forums = pointless over-navigation. Also, the Star Wars topics aren't so poorly marked as to have one accidentally click on a Spongebob's Pineapple house review thinking they were going into a topic on a 1,500 piece JarJar Binks Ultimate Collector Series set. I thought the non-system forum could use a split so Bionicle could get it's own forum, but now I prefer the other (yet fewer) topics there. Getting stuck into thinking of just one theme of Lego can be obsessive... having your attention FORCIBLY extracted to sets you might not normally give the time of day is heallthy. For you and for Lego. :-D

FIXED. (One on left) Here's me from just last week. Behold teh fatness! http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=2035292 Seem to be sportin' a chin... that's the chunkiest I've been in a LONG time. And... I don't give a crap lol.

Yeah, don't get me started on Greg. I could literally talk to him a month and we'd just go in circles. The one thing that always pops up is the constant referencing that focus groups steer their direction. While it's nice for a change (like if your in-house creative team is wretchedly incompetent), there is no substitute for creating something so "wanted", that you become the captain. Can it even be denied that the McDonald's Happy Meal Tohunga sets from 2001 were a driving force to the success of that initial wave? The Tohunga were prominently featured (better than they ever have been since) in the online flash videos, and then popped up in "FREE" sets that came with yummy food. You got the Tohunga free at McDonalds, the Turaga were the "cheap" sets for those in a lower price bracket, then the Toa were slightly more expensive, but not just main characters who you'd shell out for, but also fit the "middle" price point, and finally ending with the way expensive Rahi sets, for those financially better off. So really, just about EVERY kid in EVERY price bracket had a gateway into understanding what "Lego sets" could do, and why they needed to buy more to expand on it. These action figures have no representation in the current Lego line, as having no building function does not describe what the purpose to buying actual Lego sets are. You think these "future Lego customers" are going to buy a set because you gave them a cheesy, one-piece action figure? No... no, I do believe you just ran a promotion for all your action figure competitors sitting near you in the toy aisles. The purpose of a promotion is to "teach" the uninitiated what your product is and why they should want it. These poopy figures don't do that. Once you collect them all, you just became every other kid on the playground. Soon, excitement dwindles to nothing. But if you had collected all the "set" toys, there then is a next step... you all then have to start buying sets to stay on top and build larger things. If one wants to gloat on the playground, they HAVE to start buying sets. Bleh... I'm just some nobody. I've only been alive 33 years. Why can't a mega-company that's been around over half a century and employed hundreds of thousands not have such basic common sense? The sad thing is, before this promo came along, the Inika sets were ALREADY flying off shelves, because they're decent sets. Now some corporate executive is going to look at that success and go "See? SEE? My idea for those action figures in Happy Meals are the WAY TO GO with promos from now on!" >__<

Well, if you're planning on mocing something original using your own creativity, Lego. If there's a Megablocks set that has a ton of detailed, but pre-molded pieces, I guess you should get that. But remember... advanced building = Lego. Period. More parts, more colors, better quality, bigger fan support, parts availability... Well, whatever you do, keep them in separate bins. You will inevitably kick yourself if you don't. I'm curious too... what set(s) got your fancy over in MBland?

Indeed. The buggers sell out fast here, too. It's hard to think anyone who buys a small Lego set won't want to get bigger and bigger sets. It's just the nature of it. When Lego has "entry" prices that accomodate a person in ANY demographic, they win. It's even better when they hit that AND simultaneously do it in all their separate themes. They've definitely gotten better at this type of strategy.

Damn... they should send those to the US. :-D Here, the big sets sit around and the small ones get wiped out with extreme prejudice. X-Pods, Racers, if you don't snag'em when you see'em, they likely won't be there the next week. And you're right, RARELY do I see sets that sell out get restocked. We had the Toa Hordika sets at our local Lego seller get them in for 3 weeks, MAX. That was it. Yeah, I see what you mean. I was about to argue that they should test themes first before going all out in manufacture and advertising on a specific one, but heck... they should have a pretty good idea by now. I'm thinking that's just the temporary flux of them finding new ways to do old things. My instinct tells me it'll either stay as things are now, or get better. They know that if it gets any worse, they might as well be called Megablocks.

Couldn't. Agree. More. The only times I hear people (still) complain, the reasons are somewhat off the wall / unrealistic. Things are at a point, where only wacky & unrealistic ideas of my own (like 9V ultraviolet blacklight bricks / fully glowing sets) could make my feelings towards Lego better.

Do so. Alot of people complained about that when they first got him. And as for the guns not matching the box, same thing. Lego can and does replace them for free. I'g gotten a Bionicle set that had these silly blocks with notches and green string you had to tie on the ends, instead of the pre-studded green string. I called, and got it a few weeks later. You might want to CALL them though... the results are faster than sending an email sometimes.

Sounds like the green guy from the book cover has been found. http://www.amazon.de/LEGO-8920-Bionicle-Eh...7928829?ie=UTF8 LEGO Bionicle 8920 Ehlek Product description Short description With its long, thin member masses and the tankless body Ehlek seems to be a lighter opponent, but is deceptive! With its green pricks it produces an electrical loading, it in current lightnings unloaded can and the opponent occasionally l

I was tired when I typed up yesterday's response, but in the back of my head, I KNEW I'd forgotten to hit something major. I have to go back to this sarcastic AND 100% FALSE quote: Dude... you can NOT BUY MACHINEGUNS IN AMERICA, unless there's federal clearance. You haven't been able to since 1934... which makes me wonder where you've been for over 72 years. If you go into a gun shop and ask for an UZI, the shop owner will probably look at you like you're mentally handicapped, followed by something along the lines of, "You must be from the city" or "Watch less movies, kid". Express your disdain for a tool that you personally feel you can not responsibly control yourself, but don't lie about the tool (gun) to get people in other countries worked up and angrily shocked. http://www.factcheck.org/article258.html Since I'm a person who considers life too short for lies and deceit, I'll quote some important things from the site below (in other words, I'm on a roll lol): http://www.eagleforum.org/psr/2000/june00/psrjune2000.html Oh, what's that? Lots of FULLY AUTOMATIC weapons = safety? But that's IMPOSSIBLE! :-D So you could say that anti-gun activists calling them "assault weapons" are either suckers, or the liars lying to the suckers... controlling them with a nonsensical fear of that which is not there. I like that last point, as my dad (born in 1933) tells stories of how he and his friends brought their rifles and guns into class for "show and tell" days. Noone died. lol

^^^ What he said. Maybe if a bunch of little kids start running around here, making tons of contests simultaneously... then we might need to make contests "official" and staff-run. Same thing if members start listing physical prizes and don't deliver. But it hasn't been a problem here yet, so use discretion and knock yourself out. *sweet*

::wonders if there's any German-exclusive Transformers or Lego sets that a toystore insider could help me aquire:: Ooooops, I mean, congrats on a job... and a cool one!

Indeed, indeed. And it would take WEEKS to make them understand. "Accidentally" selling our nuclear secrets to the Chinese is a good example. Ok, so BUSH SUCKS! He's a "demon". He's the antichrist! He had no right to attack Saddam! BUSH LIED ABOUT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION! He went to war with IRAQ! And... and.. wait. Wait a minute, hold everything! What's THIS? http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/middle_east...nton_12-16.html :-D But...but Bush went to war with Iraq even though he KNEW there was no real connection with Al-Qaeda and... and.. oh dear... hold up... http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Publ...03/527uwabl.asp :-D Bush. Clinton. ...what, so one talks funny and looks goofy, so he's "worse"? Look at what he handed over to Bush lol. And god forbid any of you Americans want to say that "militia" means a government agency, not people: http://www.guncite.com/gc2ndpur.html The forefathers, inside AND outside the amendment say otherwise: http://www.nraila.org/issues/FactSheets/Read.aspx?ID=108 Despite any liberal interpretations, they flat-out say that it's for the individual.

Oh lordy, it's time for me to crack my knuckles. Indeed. But when the citizenry is armed, the government loses just that much more physical power against them. BUt some of you are probably saying "What? Egads, man, we live in the year of our lord, two-thousand and six!" Yeah, so what? Was it THAT long ago that we had to fight the government? And it sounds like some of you want it both ways... you want to say the US / Bush administration / conservatives are insane and warlike. But then in the next breath, you state the citizens shouldn't be allowed to arm themselves from the government. Look, it's not an impossible situation that the government is going to do stupid things against it's people that warrant defense. Fluoride... it's been proven to be damaging to the young, to cause cancer and other health problems. But because a pretty penny is made from it's sale (it's a waste by-product of nuclear refinement) ...it's sold to water facilities and ENTERS OUR FOOd CHAIN! It's banned in other countries, but here it's crammed down our throats. And even better, lawmakers are pushing forward legislation to even have it become an additive to solid foods! But if it hurts people, why is it added into our diet? Ah. For the same reason China ran state advertisements on the HEALTH BENEFITS of smoking. ...The less population you have to control, the EASIER it is to control. Does that sound like a government you trust with your life? And more recently, Bush went and made wiretapping without a warrant legal. He's made it legal for police to also bust into your house at 3am with no warrant, arrest you without just cause, take whatever you have without explanation... Does that sound like a government you trust with your life? So let's take this away from the context of internal conflict... China. How many people do they have per every American? Quite a bit, yes. Hell, if the Chinese constructed amazing vessels with which to transport millions of troops at a time, they could nail us on the law of averages alone. Ah, but we have guns. The great equalizer. Far fetched? Perhaps. But stay alive in this world long enough, and you begin to realize truth is stranger than fiction, that the "impossible" occurs quite often. Who thought 2 passenger jets were perfectly hit the World Trade center towers, destroying them both? Not many. Do I have any proof to back up my claim that government is a thing that often must be defended against? Bet I do... it's called "world history". http://www.fightthebias.com/Resources/gund...gun_control.htm It might not be right, but youi're absolutely correct. But you are only right for so long, as growing malcontent over the shady dealings and lies will undoubtedly lead to a SWEEPING political victory by the democrats at voting time. And I'm a conservative saying this. People act on fear. Noone expected the WTC disaster, at least not in that large an expression. But we're not idiots. We are coming around. These things take time. Alot of us did. It was hard to avoid. The media crammed it down our throats till we were blue in the face. Because when people have an agenda they can't validate, when people don't care how bad they lie in order to make a fast buck on suckers, they do it. It's called a lack of conscience. Well here's something YOU should read: http://bowlingfortruth.com/ People like to say there's no liberal media here, with the way the broadcasters are all afraid of Bush and decide to go with whatever slant the white house wants the people to hear, but man there sure was and there still is. When something bad happens with guns, it's ALL OVER the news. But the everyday stories where people fought off an attacker, where a stalker was kept at bay, where a person was able to give themselves a fighting chance... those stories go largely unreported, as they always have been. The news LOVES scary, violent, fear-instilling stories of the dregs of humanity. Michael Moore at least had that right, before he went off on his own (unrelated) rant. Guns don't make violence, fear does. And our news LOVES fear. This is basic Jedi training 101 here. P.S. http://www.assaultweaponwatch.com/ Let's of course blame the gun, not shitty parenting, parents absent due to demanding jobs & not supervising / nurturing their children, and in the case of Columbine, the largely under-reported fact that the kids in question were hopped up on meds. Parents stopped doing their job with the advent of television, and now that's been combined with the rampant drug prescriptions parents get their kids for virtually SILLY "medical problems". Like, I was hyper-active when I was young. My mom cut my sugar intake. these days, they just bring them to a doctor and get'em medicated. Yay? That's always a good way to get a serious point across. Sarcasm. Ok, let's talk of the "assault rifle", the scary, scary AK-47. Dude. It's called an "assault weapon" because it LOOKS SCARY. The power and ability are the same of other rifles sitting right next to it. But the Clinton administration properly spun the buzz word "assault rifle", and scared enough old grannies and clueless soccer moms into going "GASP! With a name like that, it must be AWFUL!" But in reality... it's a regular old rifle. And you're dissing the point that yes, you may just need this to maim or kill someone. Welcome to living in the physical world. And here, see how very destructive the AK was in overall gun crime: http://www.clintongunban.com/FactSheets.as...&a=Fact%20Sheet MORE TO COME. X-D

I hope I get the job I'm looking at next month. There's so much great crap in 2007, as well as some stuff I still want to snag from this year. :-|

I love Halloween, I love contests, but the user interface for Lugnet makes the baby jesus cry. If I come up with something mad stupid brilliant, maybe I'll bother to register. ... ... ...I wish the owner of that site would get with the times. Just archive and / or transfer everything from the past and start anew on a sane, easy to use board.

It'd be a pity if they were through, though I doubt they are yet. I want me some trans neon green lids (fluorescent UV blacklight reactive!) to go with the trans neon green pods. Heck, I want trans neon (earth) orange and the UV reactive light blue as well. They're excellent, inexpensive products to get Lego newbies hooked into buying bigger sets. Sometimes they're TOO minimalistic in their part offerings, but the last wave was pretty decent with neat stuff (1x1 slopes come to mind). At a little more or the same price, the tiny car sets give you more cool parts per dollar.

If they do get around to canceling the line, it'd be an awesome excuse to debut them all over again a few years later, but done right ...right from the beginning. I'm not sure how they're selling abroad, but here in my little section of the US, the Inika sets (unlike the Piraka) FLEW off the shelves. The larger, $80,000,000 sets with the System parts sit on the shelves, mostly.

I'm sure there's tons of knockoff companies, too many for us to list to even scratch the surface. :-D Lego's done pretty well in Western countries at teaming up with law enforcement to get rid of flat-out bootlegs of their products. So there's really no "established" Lego pirates, not in the long term anyway. But companies like Megablocks are fairly rampant. One that comes to mind is Blocko, who's REALLY pushing it with their minor resculptings of Bionicle Technic parts. They dabble in system as well. http://www.blocko.com.cn/chanpin/zhongjizh...ngjizhanshi.asp Outside of America, "Tente" is another example of something similar, but not completely emulating Lego.

Sugegasa is such a sick mocist. Rarely does he not manage to please. *sweet*

Those mocs are... ...oh well. Chicks.

I'll be the first to admit that the real target audience is super young children, but I don't think anyone'd be choking and dying on the parts if, say, they at least had the legs detachable. Anything one could moc with. ANYTHING. :-D Anything.

I like Bionicle, but the Throwbots (and Roboriders) sets held the greatest Bionicle enhancement pieces ever. I'm glad I got into Lego when I did... gave me an opportunity to act on this foresight... and snag dozens of these at bargain-bin clearance prices. X-D As "figures" though, I though Throwbots were pretty lame. One had a "weapon" that was just a technic panel. X D The legs were in wonky-lookin' positions. Their "combiner" were on par with the idiotic Bionicle ones, having no care for flow, color dispersion or anything apparently. There's a reason they went so drastically on discount5. They didn't look very good. Not enough to become hits anyway. But parts sources... they were GOLD.

Can't afford such luxuries as fast food anymore. *sad* Had there been sets with actual Lego parts, I could have at least mugged a few people on the walk there. But you don't mug people for 1-piece action figures. That's just CRAZY.

K'. Don't sweat it, you're new. :-)