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 LEGO Company / LEGO Direct / 3558
3557  |  3559
Subject: 
Re: what makes a legend?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.lego.direct
Date: 
Wed, 24 Oct 2001 04:25:59 GMT
Viewed: 
670 times
  
In lugnet.lego.direct, Richard Marchetti writes:
In lugnet.lego.direct, John Neal writes:
That is not to say that LD won't *ever* pursue such endeavors in the future
(new molds, new themes), but initially it is trying to attain maximum >profitablity through the marketing of existing parts *by choice*.

Yeah, but in this case I am trying to raise the specter of element molds now
gone, and not necessarily worry about "new" elements or themes.

There seems to be at least an assertion that LD will not reproduce molds for
elements from the past in order to rerelease a Legend set.  I think this is
a really wrong way to think about this product line -- it should absolutely
be about bringing old elements back from the dead.  Classic space helmets
that can double in a recreation of the yellow castle -- why not?  Monorail
motors and track that can be used first in the Legend line and elsewhere
later on -- why not?

I am not very pursuaded by the idea that a $15K cost in mold making prevents
any of this.  Frankly, I'd prefer to push in the direction of bringing back
some older elements.

Questions: Did they remake the maiden hat for 2000 or was the old mold still
available?  Can we speculate that other molds from that same period are
still available?

We are playing at this answer game for Brad with very insufficient
information as to the manner in which they decide these matters.  I think
they could at least throw us a bone about the subject.

While I see your point, Richard, I think the crux of the matter, and perhaps
the ultimate answer to Brad's original question is this: In order to keep
development/marketing costs down for LEGO Direct, rather than trying to
figure out what would be involved in re-creating sets in which molds for
certain parts are no longer available (due to loss, destruction, old tooling
not working with newer machines, whatever), perhaps LEGODirect's time would
be better spent researching to a happy balance point.

What do I mean? Find sets to reproduce that are relatively popular, but also
use nothing but existing pieces/molds. Seems pretty simple to me.

Sure, it might not be the "Ulitmate Collectors Set" or "LUGNET's #1 Most
Wanted" or anything, but perhaps it'll be a set from 10-15 years ago that
will make a good model assembled, and a good parts set sorted. Wouldn't you
rather see LD get many multiple, fairly inexpensive rereleases out each year
by following this idea, than getting a couple of really expensive rereleases
that may or may not have part substitutions or stickers? Because,
ultimately, it'll be us...the AFOL...who foot the cost for LD developing new
molds of old pieces, because we are the target market for these sets. I'd
much rather buy several $25-$30 rerelease sets each year than one $100-$200
set, you know?

Just another 2¢ from me (what am I up to now, 4 maybe 6¢? I guess that's
enough for the time being).

Matt



Message is in Reply To:
  Re: what makes a legend?
 
(...) Yeah, but in this case I am trying to raise the specter of element molds now gone, and not necessarily worry about "new" elements or themes. There seems to be at least an assertion that LD will not reproduce molds for elements from the past in (...) (23 years ago, 24-Oct-01, to lugnet.lego.direct)

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