Subject:
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Sets which "break the rules"
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.admin.database
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Date:
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Thu, 7 Jan 1999 10:49:12 GMT
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Viewed:
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735 times
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What is a set?
- a bunch of pieces, and
- a building instruction booklet, and
- a box (or bucket or polybag)?
The following are transcripts of notes taken last summer when mulling
over the question of how to data-model sets and value packs.
Anomalies and perturbations from simple set categorizations
===========================================================
The following is not a comprehensive list of all anomalies, but rather a
list all -types- of anomalies which come to mind -- in other words, an
attempt at a comprehensive list of representatives of anomalies:
8205 Bungee Chopper
Has two instructions booklets labeled "8205-1" and "8205-2"; each of
these has a separate unique 7-digit LEGO part number.
8277 Giant Model Set
Has two instruction booklets both labeled "8277"; each of these has a
separate unique 7-digit LEGO part number. The big 116-page booklet
is "4105782" and the small inner 16-page booklet is "4108977".
8277 Giant Model Set
The larger 116-page booklet is bundled inside the main packaging, and
the smaller 16-page booklet is bundled inside a sub-package-box.
6902 Space Plane
Says "6901/6902" on the instructions. Is a polybag set in the U.S.
and has a boxed non-U.S. counterpart.
1728 Crystal Crawler & 6145 Crystal Crawler
1728 released first in Europe in '96, then in the U.S. in '97; 6145
released only in the U.S. in '96.
1728 Crystal Crawler & 6145 Crystal Crawler
Sets are essentially the same, but have slightly different contents
and official piece counts differ by 1.
1737 Scorpion Detector & 6938 Scorpion Detector
Have slightly different building instructions. [More info needed.]
6923 Particle Ionizer
Two very slightly different versions released -- apparently a
correction to the building instructions. [More info needed.]
6989 Mega/Multi-Core Magnetizer
Released in the U.S. in '90 as "Mega-Core Magnetizer"; re-released
in the U.S. in '91 as "Multi-Core Magnetizer".
1916 Starion Patrol
U.S. English name different from Canadian English name; Canadian
names exist for both English and French and are both different from
the U.S. English name.
497 Galaxy Explorer & 928 Galaxy Explorer
Same set, different numbers for U.S. and non-U.S. markets.
918 Space Transport
Never available in the U.S.
493 Space Command Center & 926 Space Command Center
Two different versions of each -- first with a plain 32x32 baseplate
and sloped+macaroni bricks for a crater, later with a pre-fab crater
plate.
6816 Cyber Blaster
Officially released as an Exploriens set (Exploriens logo appears on
polybag) but is clearly actually a U.F.O. set; same set released
outside of the U.S. in boxed form under the set number 6800 and
correctly classified as U.F.O.
6100 Aquashark Dart
Is officially a Hydronauts set, but is really more of a 50% Hydronauts
and 50% AquaRaiders set (not just because of the set's name but because
of the sole minifig).
1875 Meteor Monitor
Is a hybrid Blacktron set -- partially Blacktron I and partially
Blacktron II. Was part of a bonus pack in '90 (after Blacktron I
and before Blacktron II) with no official theme category given.
9355 DACTA Theme Space Set
Officially part of the DACTA product line (totally separate from the
main LEGO product line) but it's just as well to think of it as a
Space/Futuron set to some extent because of the minifigs and because
of the selection of elements.
2129 Blast-Off Dragster & 8205 Blast-Off Dragster
Same in every way except for color (red vs. yellow, respectively).
2150 Train station (a.k.a. "Retro Station") & 4554 Metro Station
Same except for color (red major, yellow minor vs. yellow major, red
minor, respectively) and possibly the sticker sheet.
369 Coastguard & 575 Coast Guard Station
Nearly identical except for minor color variations; 575 is the U.S.
version of the non-U.S. set 369.
374 Fire Station & 590 Engine Co. No. 9
Same except for color (yellow major vs. red major, respectively) and
flag image (LEGO logo vs. U.S. flag, respectively).
6799 Showdown Canyon
2-set value pack with unique outer packaging and 2 separate sub-set
boxes each labeled "6799" on their respecive instructions.
6426 Super Cycle Center
5-set not-value-pack with regular outer packaging (box) and 5 sub-set
polybags each numbered "6426" on their repsective instructions, but
1/5, 2/5, etc. on the polybags, e.g. "4115495-2/5" and "4115474 2/5".
(7 inches of whitespace between "4115474" and "2/5" in latter example.)
6326 Town Folks
2-set not-value-pack with regular outer packaging (box) and 2 sub-set
polybags each numbered "6326" on their respective polybags, but
1/2 & 2/2 on the polybags, e.g. "4111310-2/2" and "4111309-1/2".
Interesting to note that one has ".....10" and the other has "....09".
6549 Roadblock Runners
Same weirdness as 6426 or different? [Need to double-check]
1675 Bonus Pack
3-set value pack with backing card and 3 separate sub-set boxes
numbered uniquely (1875, 1876, and 1877).
K-Mart Ice-Planet 3-Pack (no LEGO set number)
Shrink-wrapped 3-set value pack with backing card and 3 separate sub-
set boxes that are regular-release sets (6834, 6879, and 6898). Value
pack has no set number, but it does have a 7-digit LEGO product code.
This is similar to the '97 UK U.F.O./1858 promo pack (but I think the
latter had a box rather than a backing card -- need to double-check).
1974 Bonus Pack
3-set value pack with regular outer packaging (box) and 3 sub-sets
packaged separately in holey plastic bags, and all with unique and
official names, but all numbered "1974".
1722 Unnamed Rescue/Ice Planet value pack
2-set value pack with card/box outer packaging and 2 sub-sets with
separate numbers but sharing a single instruction booklet. Same way
that 1891 = 1887 + 1888 + 1889 + 1890.
1967 Bonus Pack
5-set value pack with separate sets 1958, 1959, 1969, 1970, and 1971,
but separate instructions and all sharing a common outer-packaging box.
1843 Unnamed Space/Castle value pack
2-set value pack in box/card packaging. 1 instruction booklet shared
between 2 sets both numbered "1843". Alternate models on box show
theme-mixing!
6861 Blacktron Super Vehicle
3-set special model (6851 + 6878 + 6887) with unique building
instruction booklet separate from packaging of the other 3 but
under a common backing card. Also listed as 4741 in LEGO S@H catalog
in late '93 when purchasing 6861 + 6851 + 6878 + 6887 together. [Did
4741 via S@H include the backing card?]
6862 Secret M:Tron Voyager
Another 3-set special; same deal as 6861 but might not have had a
backing card when appearing on toystore shelves. The 6862 model is
built using pieces from 6877 + 6896 + 6923.
6036 Skeleton Surprise
Released with at least two different instruction booklets (identical
in practical content but different in identification). Both labeled
"6036" in the corner but, in one case the product ID was "4.100.193"
with a choking hazard warning, and in the other case the product ID
was "877103" with no choking hazard warning.
6088 Robber's Retreat
Also released with at least two different instruction booklets.
One labeled "4117680" and measuring 8.25" x 11-5/8" (210 mm x 297 mm)
and the other ALSO labeled "4117680" but measuring 8.25" x 10.25"!
What do the anomalies tell us? (Exceptions to rules)
=====================================================
8205, 8277: A set can have more than 1 instruction booklet.
8205: Instruction booklets don't have to have set numbers that are pure
integers.
8277: Instruction booklets in sets with more than 1 booklet don't have to
be free-floating next to each other; one can be at a lower hierarchical
level inside a sub-set of the main set.
6902: Instructions can be shared among 2 (or more) sets with different
numbers. In other words, a set might not even have its _own_
instructions.
1728/6145: A set can be released in two different years in different
markets even if its counterpart precedes it.
1728/6145: A set can be released under 2 or more set numbers and have
slightly different contents.
1737/6938: Ditto.
6923: A set can be released with different contents but keep the same
number. (See also 493 and 926.)
6989: A set can change its official name on the box after its release.
1916: A set can have more than 1 name in a given language (in this case
English).
1916: A set can have more than 1 name in a given country (in this case
Canada).
497/928: A set can have identical contents and packaging types but
different set number.
918: A set does not necessarily have to be released in all markets.
493/926: A set can not only be released with different contents under the
same number but also under different numbers. So, 493a and 926a have
more in common than 493b and 926b.
6816: A set can be incorrectly categorized by TLG.
6100, 1875: A set can be amalgamated from multiple themes.
9355: DACTA sets are sometimes partially regular-theme sets.
2129/8205: A set can be released in two (or more) colors with otherwise
identical components.
369/575, 374/590: Ditto, but the components may not be 100% identical
outside of color changes.
6799: A set may contain separate boxed sub-entities but under the same
set number.
6426: A set may contain several polybag sub-entities each with their
own instructions.
6326: A set may contain several polybag sub-entities without their own
instructions.
6426, 6326: Sub-entities can be designated "1/5", "2/5", "3/5", etc. after
the product code.
6549: Ditto.
1675: A value pack may simply be a backing card slapped onto 3 boxed sets
(with or without glue) and the boxed sets can have their own numbers.
K-Mart I.P., /UK U.F.O: A value pack does not always have a regular LEGO
set number (can even not have one at all).
1974: Sub-sets of a value pack can have unique separate instruction
booklets all numbered the same.
1722: Sub-sets of a value pack can share a common instruction booklet even
though they may not have the same set number.
1967: Sub-sets of a value pack can have unique separate instruction
booklets numbered differently for the constituent sets.
1843: A value pack can have 2 or more sub-sets from different themes
sharing a common instruction booklet under the same set number.
1843: A value pack can show pictures of theme-mixing.
6861, 6862: Instructions can come alone without pieces.
4741: A value pack or nebulous-meta-set can contain sets and additional
special-purpose instructions.
6036: An instruction booklet can have variants for different markets,
denoted by different 7-digit LEGO product codes.
6088: An instruction booklet can have variants under the *same* 7-digit
LEGO product code! :-( :-( :-(
Making sense of it all (Boiling it down to new rules)
=====================================================
Building instruction booklets:
- Allow a list of N instruction booklet objects per set or sub-set. [8205]
- Allow N sets to reference a given instruction booklet object. [6901/6902]
- Instruction booklet numbers must be strings rather than integers. [6426]
- A set can "own" an instruction booklet or "share" an instruction booklet
with other sets in a value pack. [1843, 1722, 1967]
- Instructions can exist all by themselves as entities in their own right,
with the purpose of using pieces from other sets. [6861, 6862]
- (other conclusions?)
Packaging:
- Packaging can be boxes, backing cards, polybags, buckets, tubs, simple
ugly plastic bags (e.g., accessories packs from S@H), funny-shaped boxes,
boxes shrink-wrapped with playscapes, masks, storage cases, etc.
- Allow a list of N packaging-objects per set-container-object. [No known
primitives with more than 1 yet, because each packaging object implies a
new container object]
- Allow N sets to reverse-reference a given package/box. [1974, etc.]
- N physical sub-set boxes can be held together by a meta-box or a backing
card (simple container property).
- When there is a backing card, note whether the sub-boxes are glued or
held, and whether they have printing on the back.
- Two different versions of an otherwise identical set can have different
packaging. [1728/6145, 6901/6902, 493/926, 6989]
- (other conclusions?)
Product codes / set numbers:
- Set numbers are not always purely numeric [8205]
- Product codes are not always purely numeric [6426, 6326, etc.]
- Entities must be separate from their product-codes; product codes are
not suitable as primary keys. [6088 and '96 Pre-/Post-WW U.S. Catalogs]
- (other conclusions?)
--Todd
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: Sets which "break the rules"
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| There is one other set that breaks the rules, the Soccer Stadium starter pack from England, which had a 5 digit number. I still have the invoice somewhere which shows this number, but am currently unable to find it. All of the other sets had had the (...) (26 years ago, 7-Jan-99, to lugnet.admin.database)
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