Subject:
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Re: Lego Stories (was Re: Remote Control Figures? (Was Re: Bionicle Sets))
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general, lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Fri, 2 Feb 2001 17:04:28 GMT
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Viewed:
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935 times
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In lugnet.general, Timothy D. Freshly writes:
>
> "Jonathan Lill" <jonathanl@myriadweb.com> wrote in message
> news:G83F1r.K1q@lugnet.com...
> [snip]
> > Lego seems to be integrating the themes they introduced with Slizers and
> > Roboriders with the earlier Technic games of Scorpion Attack and Cyber
> > challenge (if I got those names right). As well as perhaps pointing the • line
> > to where it could grow into Mindstorms. Bionicle as a whole looks more
> > attractive to me now that we can see the whole concept. It is richer and • has
> > more possibilities than Slizer et al. Perhaps this is not only because of
> > the range of sets but also beacuse of the back story. Even though that • story
> > seems like it could be a limiting factor on playability, and the Lego
> > community understandabily recoils at the notion, it can provide a • structure
> > to the line. In a sense it is precisely the story that lends real presence
> > and strength to the Star Wars Lego line so they are not *merely* good • sets.
> > Or am I wrong?
>
> This brings up a point that has been bothering me ever since I came out of
> my dark ages in 1997 (my dark ages began around 1987) - Lego providing a
> background story, character names, etc.
>
> Consider that you used to get the set and the name of the set and that was
> it. Anyone with even a scrap of immagination could take the Galaxy Explorer
> and explore the galaxy. The content of the adventures was whatever came
> from your imagination. If the Galaxy Explorer was produced today, it would
> be accompanied by a complete background story, names and bios of all the
> minifig characters, a story about the "opposing force" and their
> motivations, and a description of "the mission".
>
> On one hand, there is the argument that this promotes creativity by
> providing a base from which one's imagination can take off. The
> counter-argument is that it limits creativity by providing a "box" of
> prepackaged ideas thus discouraging creativity. I can see merit in both
> sides but it still bugs me. I never needed Lego to provide a story - I came
> up with plenty on my own. Why do they feel the need to do so today? My
> guess is to try to promote interest in the product (I guess they believe
> that the quality and versatility of Lego will no longer "sell itself").
>
> Anyone else feel this way?
>
> Tim
I hope my ambivalence on the subject is clear. I, too, have always preferred
the minifigures without names and without predefined stories, enemies, etc.
However is the pleasure I take in the Star Wars line based solely on the
strength of the models or also on the fact that as a child I imagined myself
to be Luke Skywalker( or Han Solo or a Storm Trooper) and that through this
toy now I can live out that character's adventures and create my own stories
with that character? If children differ in their imaginative capabilities
and play needs(more structured, less structured, guided etc.) then the
question remains how Lego can best address the variety of those needs.
If some children will always only prefer to play with action figures, like
my brother, is it misguided for Lego to try and stretch their product line
to address those preferences? I think a good point for debate is whether the
path that Lego is choosing, the manner in which it is choosing to address
varying play modes, constitutes an irreversible change of focus or of
identity for the company. Is the Lego company becoming an altogether
different thing than it was 20 years ago? In any way are these changes wrong
rather than merely misguided or doomed to failure? Can Lego make these
changes and still philosophically remain the same company as they claim they
are? Am I repeating myself redundantly?
I ask these questions because I know ifr I like what Lego is doing or not
but I wonder constantly whether it is only my perspective as an adult and my
nostalgia for the toy I had as a child that is creating my opinion of the
company today.
Other's thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Jonathan
ps. did my cross posting to .debate work?
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