Subject:
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Re: A fan no more
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Thu, 8 Jul 2004 16:17:02 GMT
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Viewed:
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2980 times
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In lugnet.general, David Simmons wrote:
<snip>
>
> This decision was also spurred by the arrival in my mailbox today of the
> Summer 2004 catalog. Each turn of the page further confirmed to me that
> Lego has ceased to be what I loved.
I had very much the same reaction after looking at the Summer 2004 catalog. I
couldn't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like that catalog until I browsed
a catalog from 1987 that I had just won in an eBay auction yesterday.
Too many of the set pictures don't show
> you what the whole set looks like and the pictures are blurred with action
> graphics that distort what should be in focus. Also, the overall set design
> has continued to worsen.
I think you've hit the nail on the head with that observation. In contrast, the
1987 catalog showed each set in a seperate box with a neutral background image.
Showing the set - the actual Lego - was the selling point of the catalog. This
is not to say the catalog was boring. Dioramas were pictured throughout and the
catalog used vivid colors and had a nicely designed layout. I can't help but
think that the design philosophy of the current S@H catalog is to make them as
EXCITING as possible, as though watching a video or playing a videogame, at the
cost of obscuring the thing that the catalog is selling. I guess Lego just
isn't exciting enough by itself anymore.
The new Alpha Team sets are almost uniformly
> hideous, and the new Castle sets are so filled with pre-fab it's just
> painfully Playmobil.
Like others, I don't mind the prefab in Playmobil - that's part of it's system
and always has been. At least Playmobil has nicely designed playsets. And
their catalogs and box advertising are awesome (great blend of excitement with
the special effect lighting and no frills contents listing).
<snip>
> However, I cannot continue to directly support a company that has repeatedly
> demonstrated such a total lack of regard for the principles that I believe
> once made TLG the best Toy Company in the world.
They just have different priorities. They're a big company that has to focus on
being a multi-national profitable organization while still delivering the values
that we have come to expect from them. I too believe that they have let their
principles and vision slip. The cover of the summer catalog is a good example
of values slipping. While I like the artwork, it's theme is dark and violent.
It actually reminds me of the battle of Helm's Deep from LotR, which, ironically
TLC has stated as being too dark to consider licensing. As far as their vision
goes, I always wonder what GKC would think of Galidor, Bionicle, licensing,
getting away from the System, etc.
>
> I'm sad. Really, really sad.
Well, while I was disappointed in the Summer catalog, I really enjoyed paging
through the 1987 catalog (it was during my dark ages, so pretty new to me). I
thought it would be neat to use the models as an idea book of sorts, and see
what similar things one could build with today's selection of parts. If I had
the time and talent, I would even make a catalog out of the MOCs that resulted.
So, I hope your sadness doesn't last too long. I guess we have to take the good
with the bad, though.
--
Thomas Main
thomasmain@myrealbox.com
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: A fan no more
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| "Thomas Main" <thomasmain@myrealbox.com> wrote in message news:I0JJwE.o1F@lugnet.com... (...) catalog. I (...) browsed (...) action (...) design (...) contrast, the (...) image. (...) This (...) and the (...) but (...) them as (...) at the (...) (...) (20 years ago, 8-Jul-04, to lugnet.general)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | A fan no more
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| Hey all, It took some time, but I've finally come to a very sad decision: I will no longer purchase any new Lego and I will no longer declare myself an advocate for TLG. I might have been able to tolerate the color change, but the click-hinge (...) (20 years ago, 8-Jul-04, to lugnet.general) !
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