Subject:
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Re: This is stupid... I can't tolerate this *juniorization*...
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.lego.direct, lugnet.dear-lego
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Date:
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Mon, 13 Aug 2001 22:43:47 GMT
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Viewed:
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2015 times
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Ok, now I see where your coming from.
In lugnet.lego.direct, John Neal writes:
> Okay, Joe (and Dan)-
>
> Although I can't speak for TLC, I bet I have a good idea as to what they would
> say to your collective concerns, and rather than let a brush fire blaze out of
> control here, let me point out a few things which hopefully will help you to
> understand TLC's POV.
>
> First thing to keep in mind is that LEGO is a toy. It is intended for children,
> and although we as adults (I have kids your age) can still play with LEGO
> (attesting to its marvelous flexibility as toy and as a creative outlet), the
> mass market for this product is young kids.
>
> Times have changed. LEGO has competition from places we never dreamed about 20
> years ago-- the internet, video games, cable television, etc. Now the
> philosophy of TLC has been one of marketing at particular age groups
> ("System")-- so infants start off with Primo, then toddlers on to Duplo, and so
> on. But they recognized that there was a gap between Duplo and town. Town was
> a little complicated for 6 year olds, and so they decided to bridge that gap
> with sets which could be more easily manipulated with smaller hands. Try not to
> think of Jack Stone, etc, as LEGO "juniorized"[1], but rather as Duplo
> "seniorized":-)
>
> Now of course these sets seem childish to you-- they are not intended for you to
> play with them. They are for younger kids. It's a bit like complaining that
> Duplo is too simple-- that's the whole idea. TLC needs to "hook" kids on LEGO
> *sooner*, because by the time they are 8, they are already watching cable,
> playing video games incessantly, etc. That fact of life isn't TLC's fault. In
> fact, one could argue that it is partially *your* generation's fault for this
> juniorization mess, although there are plenty of other places to blame as well.
>
> But here's my point. Don't get so worked up about "juniorization". The fact
> is, there has never been a better time for LEGO builders old and young than
> right now today, and it will keep getting better. Take a look out there--
> LUGNET, LUGs, LTCs, Brickbay, Brickshelf, bulk services-- what fantastic
> resources! You guys are getting older now; don't worry about building sets.
> Sets are for kids. As Mike Timm so eloquently puts it in his sig: "All other
> themes are just spare parts for Castle!" (or spare parts for *anything* you
> want). Start building MOCs and let the *real* creativity begin!
>
> So this is about where TLC is coming from. You may not agree with their
> marketing strategies, and even I strongly disagree with some of their
> strategies, but try to understand why they are doing what they are doing.
> Rather than rail on in an NG, tell them with your pocketbook. Buy the Guarded
> Inns and Sopwith Camels and Metroliners; if there is one thing TLC gets very
> well, it's the bottom line. Let's *show* TLC that there is a market for
> non-juniorized sets.
>
> -John
>
> [1] I would define "juniorization" as the combing of 2 or more elements to
> create a new element *which can no longer be used for any other purpose other
> than the specific one for which it was designed*.
>
> JOE wrote:
>
> > In lugnet.lego.direct, Dan Simonson writes:
> > > Ok, this is going to be a long message.
> > >
> > > Just to get who I am straight, I'm Dan Simonson, I'm 13, I've played with
> > > Legos since I was 3. I got a whole bunch of bricks from my sister, who once
> > > got them from my brother, who's 30 now. This is where my passion with Lego
> > > started. I got one of the old dump trucks when I was 3 also. I loved that
> > > thing. Wish I still had it together. Any way, when I was 5 I got the old
> > > Spyrius recon robot for my birthday from a friend. Since I was a Space fan
> > > and later picked up on building a town when I was in 4th grade (about age 9
> > > or 8). To make a long story short I've played with those theme's, Town and
> > > Space, ever
> > > since.
> > >
> > > I recently got the Lego summer catalog. I ordered some bulk packs (in my
> > > opinion way over priced for *bulk*) and a pack of two T-Plates for my town's
> > > new layout. When I first opened it though I saw this stupid looking thing
> > > called Jack Stone. I immediately though it was for three year olds, that it
> > > was a
> > > duplo set, and was immediately angry. The buildings have nothing to them! It
> > > reminds me of the old cheap show James Bond Junior from when I was 4. After
> > > recieving a Mania Magazine about it I think I almost got a headache. There's
> > > no
> > > point to it!
> > >
> > > Another example of my dislike for juniorization is from when I turned 10, I
> > > got a construction crew. I was glad I got the set because at the time I had
> > > no construction crew for my little town. When I saw the directions I
> > > immediately wanted to write Lego because they were so poor in quality. A two
> > > year old could have done it with out his parents help. I never got the
> > > chance to, wasn't that important. Now I have my chance.
> > >
> > > I'm now reading the catalog, I'm going to bash everthing juniorized as I go
> > > along.
> > >
> > > Page 1, *Bionicle.* When I first saw Bionicle I thought it was aimed at the
> > > Japanese market than anything else. It reminds me of the edited Dragon Ball
> > > Z, a show so watered down and milked up that it's no wonder I don't like it
> > > any more. One fight between two characters lasted 3-4 weeks.
> > >
> > > Page 5, DIONSAURS. The last time I had any interest in Dinosaurs was when I
> > > was in Kindergarden. I see where it comes in with Jurasic Park III and the
> > > Lego Studios but do you have to release and waste all that petrolium (yes,
> > > it's a non-renewable resource) on a hole bunch of dinosaurs we really don't
> > > even need. And at $10 a piece, what 5 year old can even afford to waste $40
> > > on them.
> > >
> > > Pages 8-9, Great mechs, but the ship and the base make me laugh. What kind
> > > of base is that! It looks like an Aquanaut base I made once that was made of
> > > little gobs of bricks that are separated and serve no purpose but to to look
> > > cool. $80 for that junk! I wouldn't pay $50.
> > >
> > > Page 13, Mega Blok, or Lego? When I saw this I was more sickened than when I
> > > saw Jack Stone. 8 pieces per car!!!!! WHAT THE HELL, TECH DECK SKATEBOARDS
> > > HAVE MORE LITTLE TINY SCREWS IN THEM THAN THAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> > >
> > > Page 16-17, just one more adden to JACK STONE. How can he get away with
> > > being a cop and fire fighter? To be on the optimistic side of this BS, there
> > > a blue flame and a black raft. Those are pretty neat.
> > >
> > > Page 22-23, Duplo, where Juniorization should stay.
> > >
> > > Page 24-27, the best new thing Lego has made in a long time.
> > >
> > > Page 47, the leg henges are nice for Mechs.
> > >
> > > One additional comment before my extreme rage burns out...
> > >
> > > Ok, I remember not long ago Lego sent out this little yellow thing with
> > > their s@h
> > > orders about their mission statement or something like that. It said that
> > > Lego is a creative toy, becuase one day, it can be a submarine, the next it
> > > can be castle, and the next it can be a spaceship. Many of the things I have
> > > seen in the last catalog have made that mission statement worthless and
> > > obselete.
> > >
> > > This is Lego's true purpose...
> > > http://www.nwlink.com/~sandlin/lego/mecha/colossus/colossus01.html
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Chef/Dan/Bubba Bear
> > > ICQ:84584424
> > > AIM: DaGlassAWasta
> > > http://lostislandofmonkeys.cjb.net
> >
> > Dan, Lego is really out of their minds for making "Jack Stone". FYI Lego, my
> > name is Joe Franco, im 16, and I have been playing with Lego for 13 years. I
> > used to like your sets, because of the challenge of building them. When I
> > was smaller, I used to wait after school for the mail man to come deliever
> > our mail in hopes that my Lego S@H or Mania CLub catalog would come. When it
> > did, I would read and stair at it for a few hours, in awe, at all of the big
> > sets and great themes that you had in it. Now, when i got my S@H catalog, I
> > almost cried. Thanks for bringing ack the Guarded inn and making the MOT
> > train line, but the rest of these sets are juniorized to the point that it
> > could take only 5 minutes to build a building. Wheres the Challenge in that?
> > When I got my Pier police set for Christmas, it took me a half hour just to
> > build the building. I loved the challenge and time it took to watch the
> > building take shape. That was then. Now, I turned to Page 17, where the new
> > police station is, and it only has 137 pieces in it. THATS IT. Its heavily
> > over priced at $70, and it just sucks. I could build it in 2 minutes, the
> > WHOLE THING. The parts are more simple, and crappier, and there is no Police
> > station that looks like that- at least not on this planet. The Res-Q theme
> > looks like a construction theme, and the fire truck looks like its got a
> > face on the front end. Why are these sets becoming more and more juniorized?
> > Will we ever see new sets that would take time and EFFORT to build, or is
> > this what our future generations looking foward too? I've just about had it
> > with Lego, and I will only buy older sets from 1996-down. The only newer
> > set(s) I will buy is 2 10001 Metroliners and a few 10002 Club Cars, and
> > maybe some bulk and train parts. Thats it. Joe
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