Subject:
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Re: TLG Article in "Fast Company".
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.general
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Date:
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Fri, 7 Sep 2001 02:45:37 GMT
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Viewed:
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834 times
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In lugnet.general, Brandon Wright writes:
> The September issue of Fast Company has a well-written article about TLG.
> It mostly discusses the corporate culture and values of Lego.
A very good, a "must read" article.
According to me, the most important fact is "there is no right or wrong way
to play with Legos". The modern world only tolerate one way (to win, that is
to kill) and reject any other way (to lose, that is to be killed). The
problem of kids playing legos in this new world is that they can not
identify it to "win". Building legos does not build their success or
identification to success. Kids can not have the self-assurance required for
creation and free-building. Everything around them prepare them for success.
Failure is simply forbidden. Not only the miserable attempts are a proof of
weakness (a defect that must be banned) but also the final result has no
modern value because it can not be evaluated in modern terms (success or
money). Free building defies the kids "winning culture".
I think part of the solution lies in more building-assistance. Lego group
claims that imagination is sufficient where actually patience and
determination are necessary (but far from sufficient!). Lego group should
explain that free-building will never be "successful" but can be greatly
satisfying. Better building assistance would drastically reduce time to
first satisfying attempt. There is no or not enough idea books. There is no
guidelines or even hints for first time builders. Of course, I remember
"there is no right or wrong way to play with Legos". But some help for
faster satisfying creation would be better than no help at all. Beeing free
does not mean beeing abandoned. I fear today kids are beloved by Lego group,
but somewhat abandoned when it comes to build by themselves.
Below, as an example, I give a personal attempt to "formalise" a sort of
"canonical" building attitude.
CAUTIOUS:
1. When I say "canonical building attitude" I just mean "my canonical
building attitude". Remember: there is no right or wrong way to play with
Legos. So "my way" can't be "wrong" (but can't be "right"), and I consider
myself as free to propose it. Don't blame me. I guess many others do the way
I do. Don't blame them. Just propose your personal way.
2. Sorry, I fear following guidelines are too terse for kids. But Lego group
is best at learning intricate things to kids. So there is still hope they
can better help kids.
I. MODEL GUIDELINES
a). Build for construction, not for a theme.
The magic I feel in Lego space is Lego, not space. The magic I feel in Lego
castle is Lego, not castle. Of course I have preferred themes. But I can
feel the magic in any official theme. Despite of the promisingly slogan
(just imagine...), building a lego model is all but simplistic. The lego
model as a whole hides the demanding work of adjusting pieces each other.
And here lies the true magic. The familiarity with lego bricks is quite
deceptive for inexperienced builders, as the resulting models are often
disappointing. Kids are especially fragile, as they quickly become
discouraged by aborted or unsatisfying attempts. Whereas official idea books
are part of the answer, they are not sufficient. Kids really need building
guidelines. Building guidelines can not promise first time success, but at
least they can limit the extend of repeated failure.
b). Build for a toy, not for a model. Build for fun, not for realism.
I think of lego bricks as a toy. I am a toy builder, I am not a modeller.
What I want is to recapture the enchanting power of official Lego sets in
new original models. Using a modelling approach, more realism is gained but
much of the toy magic is loss.
c). Build for assembly, not for size.
If you design for assembly, then you try to ensure a higher level of
brick-economy. So you are closer to brick individuals, thus giving them more
suggestive power.
If you design for size, then you try to ensure a higher level of
design-economy. And design-economic tricks always imply some repeated
pattern(s). So the magic of lego building is lost because the brick is lost,
being superseded by the repeated pattern(s).
II. BUILDING GUIDELINES
Now you want to build a gigantic space station (or castle, or pirate ship,
or any other dream stuff).
You are greatly inspired by some Hollywood production. So there is a danger
that you build for a theme.
You want it to be like the "real" thing. So there is a danger that you build
for realism.
You want it to be impressive. So there is a danger that you build for size.
How can you definitely escape all these traps?
d). Always let the bricks to shape the model, never let the model shape to
place the bricks.
A lego space ship will never be more than a lego space ship. There is no
killer shape. There is only good design. The shape will never be strong
enough to force the bricks to cooperate. Because each brick has its own
affinities with other bricks. This is why a strongly limited set of selected
bricks can stimulate creativity. Because you have better chances to discover
such affinities. Satisfy these affinities. The bricks will always be strong
enough to force a shape.
e). Always compose bricks up to a model, never decompose a model into bricks.
You have a space ship idea? Decompose it in 10-20 bricks. Quite hard, isn't
it? You have 10-20 bricks? Build a space ship. Quite easy, isn't it? Don't
change your approach at higher size. Don't fight against the bricks. Make
them collaborate.
f). Always build in ascending order, never build in descending order.
Let the bricks be your atoms. And build your own lego universe. Let the
matter rule is world. Don't try to rule the matter.
These three rules are equivalent and can be summarized into this one:
g). Always solve a building problem, never solve a representation problem.
To solve the building problem is to add the right brick at the right place
where it gives further opportunities to further solve the building problem
until the building problem vanishes. Ideally, no brick should be arbitrarily
placed. There is no initial vision. I only concentrate on the building and
let some magic invisible hand to ensure the emergence of a final
representation. Just find the seed. Let the building algorithm be your rain
and sun.
III. GUIDELINES SUMMARY
a. Build for construction, not for a theme.
b. Build for a toy, not for a model. Build for fun, not for realism.
c. Build for assembly, not for size.
d. Always let the bricks to shape the model, never let the model shape to
place the bricks.
e. Always compose bricks up to a model, never decompose a model into bricks.
f. Always build in ascending order, never build in descending order.
g. Always solve a building problem, never solve a representation problem.
Where 'g' is the fundamental guideline.
Other guidelines not referenced here (like "have a color scheme") may be
thought as merely "tricks". Of course I also have my preferred tricks,
including sorting tricks, but I can not mention all there.
I hope this has some use for you,
Damien
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