Subject:
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Re: Bad Policy #2 (Why all the secrecy, LEGO Direct?)
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego.direct
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Date:
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Tue, 15 May 2001 19:16:10 GMT
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Viewed:
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1931 times
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In lugnet.lego.direct, Jeff Thompson writes:
> What do you mean by the 'abandoning of "System"'?
I am going from memory here, so bear with me (I will check my memory later
against the source I am referring to).
Earlier I had mentioned a book entitled "The Ultimate Lego Book" which was
published by DK apparently with TLC's full cooperation -- in fact, it might
almost be considered an official Lego product, or at least to have official
sanction from TLC, as S@H in the U.S. sells the book directly to consumers.
This book was the source of my earlier comment about the Pirate theme being
their best selling theme so far -- and I assume that this statement is true
because it is in this book.
In this book, Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen is said to have devised the whole idea
of "system" toys for Lego in the early 1980s. The point appears to have
been to create a system of toys planned around themes -- hence Town, Space,
Castle, Pirates, etc. By adding these kinds of themes and elements, TLC was
creating a means to create adventures/play within a broad range of societies
and cultures -- and the user could pretty much build with only their
imagination being the limit.
I think most of us Adult Fans Of Lego (AFOL), like Lego entirely because of
the idea of "system." What annoys us is that there are existing elements in
"system" that we simply do not have ready or easy access to -- and I mean
"elements" as in the little plastic bricks themselves. Some of us want more
train elements. Others more greenery (Cypress and globe trees, please!).
Still others are hoping for an avalanche of pitchforks. And so on...
An important consideration in terms of fulfilling AFOL fantasies in building
with Lego has to do with architectural elements. These would probably be
the most generic elements that TLC has long denied to the consumer market.
We are probably all of us wanting a full range of slopes in many colors
(both common and inverted); windows and doors of all kinds (consult Gary
Istok for his mad desires here); other specialty elements like castle walls
(flat and corner), the castle faceted 1/2 octagon peaked roof element, and
faceted bricks would be welcome in number and a variety of colors; and we
would not want to forget those garage doors of everyone's dreaming -- why
would TLC have so long denied the market this basic architectural Town
accessory? I mean I don't get it -- garage doors are useful for almost any
Town building -- the emergency response group, the local firestation, a
common house, perhaps even a storage facility! I can't understand why these
garage doors do not figure prominently in many Town sets.
Another important consideration would be bulk bricks. Some builders, quite
mad you see, have built Lego dinosaurs in their homes! Who of us, with an
adult's financial means, wouldn't want to purchase tubs of 1xN in quantity,
in any color, and cheap (or at least cheaper than the fan-generated market)?
This is exactly what is needed the day one decides to build a giant castle
in tan!
If the point of "system" was to get people to play with and around themes,
with the skies as the limit in terms of playability; why do they deny the
very means of fulfilling this promise to the marketplace? I have bought Lego
almost all my life (I have dim memories of sets comprised mostly of white
and red elements) despite a rather long dark ages, you Jeff mention an
interest at least as far back as the early 90s -- have you ever been able to
simply get a needed item when you chose to do so? I have not been that
fortunate with this particular hobby...
Because some of us are Train enthusiasts I like to mention that there are
Train hobby shops near me in the Bay Area, of CA that have all kinds of
accessories just sitting there on the shelves. If a train builder needs a
tunnel, a station, shrubbery, trees, little people, etc -- all s/he has to
do is reach for items on the shelf with his only consideration being the
thickness of his wallet. Not so with Lego. But why not?
Because I am an artist in traditional media I like also to analogize the
problem to that of an artist going to the supply store to purchase some
supplies. If s/he wants a slab of alabaster, or marble it is readily
available. If s/he desires some tubes of gouache, there they are. If s/he
thinks the project calls for some grey modeling clay, the only questions are
to do with weight and cost. Not so with Lego. But why not?
If "system" was a strategy in the construction toy marketplace, then I don't
see TLC as having followed the course very rigidly. By comparison, have you
ever looked at the variety of things available from Playmobile? Excepting
that Playmobile is not intrinsically modular in design, I have been tempted
to abandon Lego many times by that competing product line. I mean,
Playmobile has harpists (trans-green harps!), tables laden with food, ornate
bathtubs, complicated fireplaces, sofas, and animals galore! Wow....!!!
But then again, talk about juniorized...
To me, "system" is a kind of promise that has never been delivered on. With
Lego Direct and S@H, it looks like we may have a chance at some of what we
want. I just worry that TLC is spreading itself so thin, with what I
consider to be several VERY inferior ventures, that all of this might just
pop like a soapbubble on the end of a pipe and we'll get left with nothing.
I don't obviously care about the fortunes of the Kristiansen family (I
gather the golden parachute is sufficient there), just as someone who wants
to get his bricks!
-- Hop-Frog (no one can shut me up -- try as they might...)
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Message has 1 Reply:
Message is in Reply To:
 | | Re: Bad Policy #2 (Why all the secrecy, LEGO Direct?)
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| (...) I agree, and I had a sneaking feeling that if we compared notes we would find much congruence between our theories. Getting back to the topic of pirates, if, as you noted, Pirates sold so well at its introduction, and if, as I surmised, it (...) (24 years ago, 15-May-01, to lugnet.lego.direct)
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