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I just know I'm going to get flamed for this. I'm putting on my flame suit early. What follows are my opinions. Take them as you wish. I don't plan on doing much with this thread, so don't expect too many replies from me. It seems to me, for some (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego) !!
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In lugnet.dear-lego, Anthony Sava wrote: -snip- Well done Anthony, I have to agree what you posted. -Abner (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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Anthony Sava wrote: > Please, learn from the past LEGO. A they say, those who fail to learn from the > past are doomed to repeat it. I'd rather not repeat parts of the last ten > years. Thank you, Anthony, I could not have said it better than your (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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Very well put, I couldn't agree more. Another analogy of the whole situation is that Lego is like a blindfolded kid desperately swinging at the pineata with no luck at all. --member 1893 (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) They were "following the trends in the children's toy market". Look at Pokemon, Power Rangers, and the like. Enormous success stories with incredible revenue from toys over the years. The stinking Pokemon toy market won't die! My kids bought (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) More than five decades as a successful company. Um, make that a successful company with global name recognition, fan clubs & conventions, etc. (...) Hmmm... that, I thought, was a point in LEGOs favor. (...) OK, fair enough. But keep in mind (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I agree with most of the replys. As a 42 year old AFOL, I see what some of the kids are looking at. They see these hugh sets made by other companies like Mega___--, it hurts to even type the name. Lego needs to make more sets to compete with (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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In lugnet.dear-lego, Anthony Sava wrote: lots of good points and rambling snipped (...) I agree with most of your post, but I must take issue with this. I'm 40, and I got my first LEGO as a gift in 1969 or 1970 (that's the only one I still have the (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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In lugnet.dear-lego, Anthony Sava wrote: Anthony, Coming from another industry driven by fan interest and marketing to children (video games), I can agree with a lot of what you say. TLC has made some very, very bad choices over the past couple of (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) The most important word there is "quality". TLC uses ABS, while MB uses polystyrene. ABS is styrene with a couple of additives that make it a lot stronger, but also more expensive. The higher cost of the sets is partly due to the higher cost (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Stock prices aren't relevant here; LEGO is privately held. However, I agree with your point. Let's have a little optimism here folks! --Bill. (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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I sometimes to wonder if Lego's designers are all incompetent, but I often convinced that they are not. Sets like Red Baron's Plane, Sopwith Camel, and many other shop at home exclusives, show that there are some designers working for TLC that can (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) You hit the nail on the head. I could not agree with you more. I hope that some one from TLC reads this. It could make them great again. Mark Wilson (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) Thanks, I'm glad you appreciate my comments. I hope somebody from TLC will read them as well. Unfortunately, I intended to post this off of the first post in this thread so it would get good exposure and I guess I wasn't paying attention. (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) This has been a complaint of AFOL's since before Lugnet. Unfortunately, new parts (new molds) is part of Lego's strategy. They can patent new parts and copyright new sets (instructions) so that the competition can't copy them. Besides, every (...) (20 years ago, 10-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) I've said it before and I'll say it again: There is no such thing as a limited use part, set, or whatever. If anything is limited it is the imagination and innovation of the builder. -Orion (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Brilliant how you make that sound like an insult to my creativity! Anyway, if what you say is true, how come Lego sets (aside form the designer series last year) almost never have alternate models on the back of the boxes anymore? There a lot (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Well, they can patent an infinite number of new sets and instructions with the existing parts. Regarding new parts, they seem to be making as many new molds as possible lately because they don't want to leave any possible shapes available for (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) That really resounds with me. When an MOC or a design hailed by many as a work of art, it is not because of the extensive re-working or introduction of a new part. What is important is what you do with what you have, LEGO should be following (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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"Rocco J Carello" <rogue27@mac.com> wrote in message news:HxIzw6.17uB@lugnet.com... [snip] (...) has (...) and (...) kids (...) probably (...) kids (...) these (...) they (...) In my mind, this actually raises another important question... should (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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"Orion Pobursky" <orion@dontaddthis.p...ursky.com> wrote in message news:HxIx9M.q1v@lugnet.com... (...) part. (...) with (...) anything is (...) Orion: While true, your statement may be a bit simplistic. I believe the original poster was not trying (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I'm definitely not saying that Lego has made wise descisions lately. However, maybe what we're seeing is based on simple economics. Most of the problems I see with sets these days has to do with too few parts, which cause lame designs, etc, (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Hmm... Clearly, since two people have brought up the point, I worded it poorly. I never said (nor did I mean to imply, which I think was the problem) Lego had publicly-traded stock. My point was that long-term performance tends to be one way (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) Excellent! Somebody picked up on the hook I left in my last post. Growing up, there was GI Joe and Transformers. Then they both went away. Then there was teenage mutant Ninja turtles. Then they went away. Then there were power rangers and (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I'll add my own $0.02 as well. When I was a kid (I'm 30 now, so this would be in the late 70's to mid 80's), there were only a few themes - Town, Space, Castle - that appealed to a 10-ish year old. And these themes persisted for many years, so (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Well, around here, Playmobil has about two or three times the shelf space than Lego has. And it sells well, because the size/price-ratio is way better than Lego (even if one takes the differences in scale into account). Their big advantage is (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I still remember getting the 6973 Deep Freeze Defender from Santa when I was a kid. That copy is long gone but I have since acquired enough (using parts from the secondary market plus some from the regular retail sets I have bought and also (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Are you in a completely different universe than the rest of the world? Have you seen the top ten new toy categories for boys, or followed sales at both the retail and customer levels?? Joe and Transformers command far more brand and buying (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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I gotta say one thing in favor of flash in the pan fads: LEGO clearances at Target and Wal-Mart. I build up bigtime and don't spend as much as I would have 10-20 years ago. Good for me. :o) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) <snip> No, it shouldn't. I ran a survey just recently as part of my Year 11 Maths studies course (last year, i'm in year 12 now) which ascertained that if people are going to give up lego, they will do it at about 7-9 years of age. This is (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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I'm a citizen of Legoland travellin' Incommunicado "Jeff Findley" <jeff.findley@rmspam...mspam.com> wrote in message news:HxI8rG.FA9@lugnet.com... <snip> (...) revenue (...) kids (...) could (...) They (...) Good points but you have to appreciate (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) What would be interesting to know is how well the Mega Blocks Turtles and Power Rangers lines are doing... (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) What is a pineata? (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) As I'm given to understand, it's a giant pinecone that is filled with candy. That's a little silly given that pinecones *are* candy, but still. (Well, they are where I'm from, anyways. You need to get better pine trees.) LFB XFUT ->.o-t.fun (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, lugnet.off-topic.fun)
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(...) One thing that have mssed in your comments is the global position of some of the brands (I'm not arguing either way, just pointing out) GI Joe is pretty much unknown here in the UK. Transformers were big but don't seem to have kept going or (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I never said that trendy toys don't sell well. In the case of GI Joe and Transformers, one has ebbed and flowed in and out of existence for several decades, while the other is on at least it's second return, the first of which was very short (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) IMO They did lose because they were not selling ENOUGH, not because their prices were too lower to cover costs. There is always a possibility (no certainty) that lower price will generate higher sales. The cheap Bionicle stuff is the only (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Bionicle was TLC's #1 seller in 2003 and is trending to be #1 in 2004 as well. -Rich Admin -- BZPower.com Rich@BZPower.com (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) (that was probably a Typo... :) A Pinata.... (URL) mache animal (usually) filled with candy/treats/prizes/etc... that you smack with a stick blind-folded Ben Medinets (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I've actually been paying attention to Playmobil recently. Does anyone know how they're doing financially? Both Lego and Playmobil cater to a similar audience (although Lego tries to reach a broader age-range), so I'd expect that if there (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego) !!
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(...) Ah, how true. That Tiger, for instance, can also be...a Siberian Tiger. Or a leopard (if you close your eyes). Or a Jaguar (if you close your eyes). Or a panther (if you close your eyes). It's a question of degree, but I can show you at least (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) Got it, Brian. My company (Electronic Arts) has been in business for over two decades with only a single unprofitable quarter, and has what is considered one of the most successful marketing organizations in children's entertainment (...) (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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well, I'm certainly glad that your company was asked by LEGO to do it's software games!! -Scott Lyttle (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) Great post! I completely agree. (...) Yeah, I thought the Designer sets were the best thing Lego's done in a few years. I hope they are doing well, and I hope they will create designer sets in more themes as time goes on. (20 years ago, 11-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Depends where you look. In Western PA, sales appear to be steady, but not overwhelming. I understand that the Power Rangers and other Bandai licenses not yet available in North America are selling quite well in Asia. But Aaron is a little (...) (20 years ago, 12-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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"David Eaton" <deaton@intdata.com> wrote in message news:HxKEsp.tHy@lugnet.com... (...) know how (...) audience (...) there (...) reacting (...) <Snip some exellent points> (...) I agree with you totally on this . I think one of the reasons the (...) (20 years ago, 13-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I mostly agree with your post, but you omit to mention that Crunch isn't always gonna be crunch... It can be a pair of legs for another Minifig, a torso with different arms for a spec. ops. cop in your city, a head for a thief in your castle (...) (20 years ago, 13-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Ah, would that this were true. EA publishes the Lego software. We do not develop it. I wish we did!!! .Steve "Attack life, it's going to kill you anyway!" (20 years ago, 13-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) You're right, but that's not quite the point-- An Alpha Team set can still be integrated into the rest of your collection. An onion dome piece can still be used as an engine on a space ship. And a Harry Potter head can be any other figure with (...) (20 years ago, 13-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I think that's why most of us loved the sets from the 80-90s period. There were only a handful of themes (Castle, Town, Technic, Space, Train, Basic) and there was so much room for creativity. Not saying that we can't be creative now, but (...) (20 years ago, 13-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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Not only is Playmobil creatively generic, but the boxes only picture the contents in a variety of ways. The pictures, as they say, speak a thousand words. I find myself saddled with a huge LEGO collection, but often wishing I had invested the money (...) (20 years ago, 13-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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In lugnet.dear-lego, Orion Pobursky wrote: <snip> (...) Orion, Have it with Darth Vader's helmet. Its a tough one. I've only seen it in one non-LEGO design. Kevin (...) (20 years ago, 22-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) I'm not sure it's the one you're talking about, but I've seen your mini-Vader walker (I'd love to see instructions for that, BTW), and I've also built one MOC that uses it (DTotS was just a one-time modification of a pre-existing MOC): (URL) I (...) (20 years ago, 22-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) I remember the Stupid Parts building contest a while back. Some of the entries were quite good even though they used such things as the manta ray and the pirate dingy (parts that are commonly thought of as one use only). I Googled it to see if (...) (20 years ago, 22-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego)
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(...) Ah, you must mean the (URL) Lame Parts> contest. (...) Don't forget the Throwbot discs... (...) Yeah, Allister did set up a webpage for the winners at one point, but the link he posted is dead. (...) It still pops up from time to time. (...) (...) (20 years ago, 22-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) Dunno about any of the others, but my entry was (URL) this>. Still together, too (mostly). T'was a fun little compo. I'd agree that nearly any part can be used in a creative and original way that has never even been thought of before... (...) (20 years ago, 22-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) I just went to Yahoo to see what was going on with that link and perhaps getting it reinstated. However, it seems that Yahoo no longer has free webpages for members. I did toss out the idea late last year for another run at the comp, but there (...) (20 years ago, 22-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, lugnet.space, lugnet.build.contests, FTX)
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(...) David, I was referring to this: (URL) It walks using a little red micromotor. (...) I was not disagreeing with Orion very hard. There is a scale of reusability, and some parts have a very low reusability score. Orion's point is that there are (...) (20 years ago, 23-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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(...) I agree with both of you. So far the only uses for this helmet (in either size) I've been able to come up with that aren't directly related to Darth, or some closely related thing like SpaceBalls, aren't really suitable for a family forum, or (...) (20 years ago, 23-May-04, to lugnet.dear-lego, FTX)
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