fred67

My experience with a standing workstation is that, after a while, you really want to sit. At the very least, having a step to alternate having one leg bent at a time will help. Back problems are not really easily resolved simply by standing - they can be worse; it all depends on what your problem is and how you are standing or sitting. The idea of using a mat is great... I never thought of trying that, but our exercise room is covered with them and it's a joy to walk on. The benefit of standing is merely the fact that you're not sitting, which can cause problems with blood flow and muscle degeneration... most of the other problems aren't really from sitting, but from the way people sit, especially if they slouch - and if they slouch sitting, they'll probably slouch standing up. I read an article a couple of weeks ago that suggested five minutes of walking can alleviate the problems of an hour of sitting. If you're going to stand, an adjustable height is beneficial. Some people where I work merely have high desks that they can stand at, but they also have high chairs for when they want to sit; another "demo" workstation we have has the crank to adjust the height of the desk. Since we're all different heights, it seems silly to think that fixed height can work for a significant number of people. On the whole, I like the idea.

I'll admit ignorance on this... since automatically rejected sets don't get shown, how do we know what sets they are automatically rejecting? Do we have any examples? Anybody here have a set rejected?

I'm curious why people don't like the wolfman, but don't comment on Frankenstein's monster (with a guitar ). At least the wolfman is significantly different than the previous CMF wolfman.

Good choices. The big new "classic" sets are quite good - with wheels and printed tiles, basically everything you really need for playing in school, IMO.... if you are getting more, I don't think you can go wrong with that.

I did not want to make an actual poll because I'm actually hoping to hear your ideas about themes I may not have thought of. So, if TLG insists on making themed CMF series anyway, what themes would you want, and it would be cool to list at least a few of the figures you'd like to see from those. To make it more fun, if you don't want to stick to viable themes, just go ahead and do anything. I can name a bunch of themes I'd like, but in the interest of leaving it up to discussion, I'll just throw out this mostly(*) unviable one: Horror: Michael Myers (Halloween) Freddy Krugger (Nightmare on Elm Street) Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th) Alien (Alien) Chucky (Child's Play) Ash (Evil Dead 2) Jack Torrence (The Shining... he'd need a Jack Nicholson crazed face and an axe) Shaun (Shaun of the Dead) The Fly Max Schreck (Shadow of the Vampire) Betelgeuse (Beetlejuice) Edward Scissorhands Carrie (blood covered) I think Betelgeuse and Edward Scissorhands, in particular, would actually be viable; I'd think that about Shaun, too, if it hadn't already been shot down. EDIT: I see I have only one "hero," so I'd add Ripley (Alien), and Ed (Shaun of the Dead). Maybe Laurie (Halloween) and Lydia (Beetlejuice)... and Robert8, I agree... that's why I phrased it "if TLG insists." I liked the Simpsons, but would have preferred them released along with the normal series. I also skipped the TLM series with the exception of a few interesting figures (I did not "collect" them the way I've done other series). Those two were not numbered series, though. Perhaps they should call S14 something else, like Halloween Series or something.

I guess it's hit and miss all over the place... Aside from The LEGO Store, I hadn't seen a single S13 for sale until today at Walmart; the nearby Target laughably had S12 out maybe in November, then nothing in December, then nothing for the first couple of weeks in January... then S12 again - and not even on clearance. Five Below had some S12, down to less than a box on the shelf... and then all of a sudden like 2 boxes of S12 and 2 more boxes of The Simpsons! It's just crazy around here, I guess. Still, I like the "old" formula, but don't necessarily mind diversions into themed sets. I love monsters, I've always been a fan of horror. Unfortunately, I do not really like these all that much, although it's also not all bad, either. I don't necessarily consider it a "rehash." They absolutely cannot have another vampire remotely like anything they've done before. The wolfman is a rehash, but not of CMF... the CMF did not come with the molded head, and I like that they made it a wolfman version of a previous figure - complete with ripped clothes. In fact, it's one of the ones I actually like. Zombie variety is good, so adding two zombies is not that terrible, IMO, I just don't like the "oops, I'm a zombie!" expression on the cheerleader. The other figures... I just don't know. Vampiress never made that much sense in a traditional sense... traditionally the story is male vampires are generally conflicted by their attraction to some woman; modern vampires look nothing like the traditional ones. A bride of Frankenstein would have made more sense, especially given that hair... the vampiress from monster fighters was better. The mad scientist and witch are just too cartoony... much more appropriate for Scooby Doo. The plant costume is terrible. To me, it doesn't work for adults who are fans of Little Shop of Horrors, nor kids who have no idea what the heck it is. I don't understand the "duh?" expression on the ghost. The pirate might be fun; the guitar playing monster is just ridiculous. Yes, I made a "monsters of rock" MOC (I even recently added flashing stage lights to it), but we already have the monster and we already have guitars. The tiger woman? That's an interesting one, IMO. I don't really know what I would do with it, so it makes me shrug... but it's definitely new and interesting, one of the few I don't think anyone can complain about. I would love a castle theme; fantasy, mythological, and my wallet would love a theme I wasn't interested in. Why the heck is it on his head, though?

That's about what I was thinking when I said "frame," but you described it better. I wouldn't hand a picture frame with a baseplate in it, but something you could securely screw into the wall, like what you described.

Well, it's true, I don't want to disagree with you on those points... the submissions I linked to are terrible, but I don't think there's an objective way to keep them from being posted. But there are some things that I think they could do... they don't makes sets based on existing licenses. That one simple exclusion would eliminate a ton of stuff that simply is not viable and won't be made. No more Star Wars, no more DC or Marvel superheroes, no more Tumblers to add to the gazillion tumblers that have already been submitted... Ideas is NOT a place to show off MOCs, it's a place to submit ideas you think could be successfully sold.

+1 sspeck05, great new EB member.

I disagree, Blondie-Wan, and completely agree with Andy. I'm not sure exactly which part you're complaining about (or both), but I really don't think a small fee would be burdensome, like $5 to submit an idea. Submitters are supposed to be adults, they should be able to afford $5 for an idea they actually believe could work. Offering a refund of that fee if the project reaches 250 or so makes it even better... and then those people that submit the same ideas over and over again, or the ones who've submitted dozens of ideas that never even broke 100... those ideas are obviously not viable, we'd all be better off not having to wade through them to pick the best ones. As for the kick-starter like idea, I have no problem with that, either, as I don't support anything I wouldn't buy anyway myself. Again, since it would get refunded if the project doesn't make it, I don't see the problem there. The problem I do have with it is that the submissions aren't the finished product, and you don't know ahead of time how much it'll cost. Yes, both of these ideas would slow things down... but I don't think that's a bad thing. I'd rather only have to peruse the cream of the crop to select the ones I'd like to see made. I don't know what the rules are, written or otherwise, about piece count, but 2000 isn't an extreme, IMO. I voted for the museum, also, and the Ghostbusters HQ.

I personally haven't minded the "special themed" CMF series (which, essentially, is just this and the Simpsons; Team Great Britain if you want to include them as CMF). I love monsters. I love the whole genre of films and TV; I love the show Supernatural, as well as The Walking Dead and similar shows... even Z-Nation makes my radar. The theme isn't the problem - the figures are. So now you're seeing negative comments on two fronts - just like with the Simpsons, where non-Simpsons fans were put out, now you have put out non-monster fans and also people like me who just think they didn't do a very good job. Or, let me put it this way - I'm sure they will be great for the intended audience of little kids. These are very disappointing to me because most of the previous series did a good job of being both serious and fun... so far, these mostly seem like caricaturish gags. The problem with gags is they aren't funny after a while.

@jamesn and mpfirnhaber - limiting submissions would not only NOT stifle creativity, it would require people be MORE creative in order to have something submitted. It's NOT a place to show off MOCs or that you learned how to place bricks using LDD. What's to gain? Filtering out the stuff that stands no chance makes it easier to find the stuff that will. If I have to wade through 1000 submissions in order to find something good, when I could rather be wading through 100 entries makes it a lot easier for people to pick the things they actually want.

The best, most secure way to secure a baseplate would be a frame that gets fixed to the wall that the baseplate could slide into... kind of the way a picture frame holds the glass, if you get my meaning.

Agreed... they'd work great in a minifig scale Aliens MOC.

Ecto-1 exceeds 500 pieces, as does the birds set.

I think that's the only good part about it... I like when they play on previous series, usually being some counter-part (evil mech to go with the mech, blue cheerleader to go with the red one), but an evolution of an existing figure into a werewolf seems like the coolest part of this series.... and ironically (thinking of little red riding hood) it's the lumberjack.

Agreed. When I've complained in the past, a lot of responses defended what people published there as giving people a chance to show off their work, even if not a viable Ideas set... but there's all sorts of places to show off your MOCs, I don't think Ideas is the place. I think projects related to any existing licensed themes (mostly Star Wars) should just be removed and disallowed; at the very least, submissions that are essentially rehashes of existing (or soon to be released, but publicized) sets should be disallowed. I'm also tired of wading past (often LDD) images of a baseplate with a minifigure and a handful of bricks on it with some made up "theme," and it's baffling to me, when I see these, they have multiple votes... How many tumblers are there? How many people are going to keep submitting Minions, despite the fact that someone else has the license? I want to see real possibilities without having to wade through stuff that we know will not get made, or stuff that looks like it was made by a five year old. Well, we know what the pick-a-brick wall had that day... No... really? Seriously? Did this submitter really think this was a good set that people would buy, or did he just need to submit anything? I remember my first day with LDD, too. Yes... as long as the policy is firm and consistent. The first thing is NO existing licensed themes, and NO themes owned by other companies. That would solve a lot of the stuff we need to wade through. As long as there were consistent, objective, go/no-go rules, it would be a lot better. Granted, some of the projects that are just wastes of space (like the ones I linked to) are harder to objectively filter out, but we're just talking here, right? Having a discussion about it. Both ideas have merit... I only vote for projects I would buy. The problem with the second one is that we have no idea how much the final set will cost. Ecto-1 for $50 is good considering it was a one off (supposedly) license, and really well done (IMO), it was worth it. The birds, for $45... no. I'm not rich, I need to pick and choose, and that's not happening. I like them, but not at that price. Perhaps if you get some minimum number of votes you'd get refunded your submit price.... something reasonable, like 100 or 500.

I completely agree; and w.r.t. the comments that were prompted by your post, you didn't just say "rehashes," you said cheap rehashes. So, OK, I'm a middle aged guy, not LEGO's target audience... but I would like a bit more serious figures (yes, I said that about LEGO!), and all these ones that are "costumed" figures (as opposed to "actual" monsters) are terrible, IMO... but then again, I'm probably the only one who didn't like hot dog suit guy from the current series. I love the zombie genre, and zombie mocs, but the cheerleader bothers me on two points... the facial expression (doesn't work in post-apoc mocs), and only having one pom-pom (which may not be the case when actually released, but after doubling the price of CMFs since their release, and not giving us extra accessories like they did at first, I find it annoying to think they're going to short change us on accessories).... and the zombie businessman... what the what is that on his head? This series is trying too hard to be funny... the joke wears off very quickly, though, and you're left with fairly useless figures. I did like the werewolf... not a rehash of the previous CMF one, and that it's an existing figure that has been "updated" with the torn up clothes and stuff, I think that's great. I think Bride of Frankenstein is a fantastic idea. An invisible man was also a good suggestion. So far, though, I'm not too thrilled.

That was exactly my first thought, upon seeing the larger Mystery Machine, was "wow... sticker-ama..." ... But it won't keep me from buying it. I would hope to somehow get all the figures without buying the big mansion set, but the mansion looks great on it's own. Honestly, I'd just want the MM with the whole gang, and I'd display it like I do the Ecto-1, but I didn't get the Vampyre Castle or Haunted House (and regret it), so I could live with having to buy it. I'm happier than I figured I would be with these.

^^ Just related to what NuffSaid1996 said; TLG has a moving target... I know these posts are what we'd want, but TLG needs to stay in business. I know a kid who prefers Megabloks because "Megablocks isn't scared to make a new part when they need one that fits." And I mentioned to him that one of the complaints of a lot of LEGO fans is that TLG makes too many specialty pieces when things could be brick-built. Remember the target audience... they need to stay "up to date." But to add to the last few posts, I would definitely release single color brick sets of the kinds of colors people use the most.... white, gray, black, tan... I would also make theme oriented brick packs that weren't specific sets, like a castle pack that had a lot of gray, for example, and would sell profile brick packs. I would also release other themed packs... like flora (parts conducive to making trees and landscape). I know why they don't do these things at all (or anymore, in some cases... I've purchased single color tile packs way back when... and up until recently you could get a K-box at a LEGO Store), but still... I think people would go nuts with packs like these.

I would publicize on the web what the pick-a-brick selections were at any given location.

+1 jFox, thanks!

True, but this isn't for LEGO's target audience... it's for the hipster yuppy types that have disposable income. I know people who've never bought LEGO as an adult before that bought the Ecto-1.... a lot of them would have paid $200 for Shaun of the Dead.

Yeah... I will easily top $1k, but not by a whole lot, but I've drastically cut back the themes I was buying. Even LOTR/Hobbit which, when it came out, would have been laughable to suggest I wouldn't get every single set. It looks like no new creator train this year (although that's not a certainty), the modular has already come out and I will actually probably wait until fall to get it. This is heading up to be the year of buying from others... customs from ME Models, Brick[Arms, Forge, Warriors], Altbricks, etc., and pieces I need from bricklink.