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In lugnet.trains, Ahui Herrera writes:
> In lugnet.trains, Scott Costello writes:
> > Last night as I was strolling through the clearance section of my favorite
> > Target store, and marveling at my luck at so many train cars being offered
> > at a discounted price, a thought hit me. Why would a kid who did not have a
> > Lego train setup at home already want one of these? Then I began to consider
> > the fundamental problems with TLC’s marketing policy as far as trains are
> > concerned. Bear in mind this is all my opinion, but as an ex-toy store
> > employee it is not totally without merit.
> >
> > The biggest problems with Lego trains is price and lack of competition.
>
> Perhaps Trains (in general) are not of this generation. I remember that I
> loved to see trains running while I was a little kid. I also loved to go to
> the aracde and spent a whole dollar on acrade machines. But then the "dark
> ages" came... No not me putting away the LEGO (that came later on)...
>
> No a little company called Nitendo came. When atari was around kids still
> went to the arcade beacuse the graphics were still better. Nintendo changed
> that and since then look at the aracade places? Oh wait you can't find them
> anymore, but a few places.
>
> Now kids are into the quick stimulation of the brain and video games gives
> them that. Just look at the boy toy aisle at the stores. In our days GI
> Joe was supreme and they were simple plastic figs. Now almost every toy has
> to make some sort of sound or light up in some way. Kids can't use their
> imagaination any more. If they get a toy that requires them to "think" it
> just gets put away.
Thinking is detremental to today's youth
>
> This I think is the fundamental difference between them and us. It was okay
> for us to making gun firing noises for GI Joe or explosions. It was okay
> for us to construct LEGO space ships that nobody had ever seen before.
> These kids have a huge variey of space ships that they have seen (Star trek,
> Star Wars, Babaolne, etc.) none of it is interesting.
>
> Just look at coyboys and indians. Who still plays that? Times have changed
> and unless TRAINS finds a way back it will forever be where it is at now: An
> old-man's toy.
>
>
Whoa now...hold on here a minute. Like many youngsters, I embraced the video
game FAD when I was young and pretty much abandoned LEGO® (never knew they
made trains at the time, or that NES would have been quickly struck off my
Christmas list)
Video game systems come and go, yet The Brick remains, despite the wasteful
diversions known as Galidor, Bionicle, and Jack Stone (also fads in my view)
And what's wrong with trains being an 'old man's toy'? At least the old men
have the wisdom and imagination that most people today lack...and playing
with toy/model trains is The Original Hobby™ to begin with.
If parents can't afford to buy their children toy trains, then tough luck on
them, it may just teach a kid to work hard and make a better future for
himself so he can afford his hobby...now that's motivation if I must say so
myself!
-Harvey
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<snip>
> > No a little company called Nitendo came. When atari was around kids still
> > went to the arcade beacuse the graphics were still better. Nintendo changed
> > that and since then look at the aracade places? Oh wait you can't find them
> > anymore, but a few places.
> >
> > Now kids are into the quick stimulation of the brain and video games gives
> > them that. Just look at the boy toy aisle at the stores. In our days GI
> > Joe was supreme and they were simple plastic figs. Now almost every toy has
> > to make some sort of sound or light up in some way. Kids can't use their
> > imagaination any more. If they get a toy that requires them to "think" it
> > just gets put away.
>
> Thinking is detremental to today's youth
>
> >
> > This I think is the fundamental difference between them and us. It was okay
> > for us to making gun firing noises for GI Joe or explosions. It was okay
> > for us to construct LEGO space ships that nobody had ever seen before.
> > These kids have a huge variey of space ships that they have seen (Star trek,
> > Star Wars, Babaolne, etc.) none of it is interesting.
> >
> > Just look at coyboys and indians. Who still plays that? Times have changed
> > and unless TRAINS finds a way back it will forever be where it is at now: An
> > old-man's toy.
> >
> >
>
> Whoa now...hold on here a minute. Like many youngsters, I embraced the video
> game FAD when I was young and pretty much abandoned LEGO® (never knew they
> made trains at the time, or that NES would have been quickly struck off my
> Christmas list)
>
> Video game systems come and go, yet The Brick remains, despite the wasteful
> diversions known as Galidor, Bionicle, and Jack Stone (also fads in my view)
Yes Video game systems come and go but NOT the force behind them. Video
games systems provide instance stimulation. Generation X (me), Y and the
new millenium babioes (gen z) are all about INSTANCE GRATIFICATION. LEGO
(the brick) cannot compete with the video game system. At the rate that my
generation and the ones that follow are going, LEGO will never be able to
overcome the video game "systems". LEGO will always be 2nd string. Sad but
true. As I stated before LEGO requires imagaintion and thinking. These
concepts are LOST in the new generations.
I don't think Galidor, Bionicle, and Jack Stone are wasteful diversions. At
least Bionicle HAS brought money into LEGO. Anything that brings money into
LEGO is a good thing. Even if it is not for us. BESIDES Bionicile is a
GOLD MINE for you and me. Think about it, who is playing with BIONICLE?
Kids 8-15. 10-15 years from now when these kids are ready to get out of
school and into the real world they just like us will be trying to buy their
old childhood toys. For us Old Star Wars is the hot ticket along with Care
Bare, etc.
Well if you, today, buy Bionicle you tomorrow we be able to SELL it MARKED
UP to these kids! Money for you in the end! The way TRU, KBToys and others
have had sales on BIONICLE right now is the time to get in. The old
Bionicle line is almost gone, the new sets are coming in. Right now is the
time to purchase the old and new collections and just sit on them. =)
Learn from the past. We paied markup for our OLD star wars because we were
too dumb to keep out old toys. The same thing will happen to this kids, and
their kids, and theirs. History repeats itslef here.
>
> And what's wrong with trains being an 'old man's toy'? At least the old men
> have the wisdom and imagination that most people today lack...and playing
> with toy/model trains is The Original Hobby™ to begin with.
Nothing wrong with trains being an old man's toy. But if we want trains to
survive we need to start bring in new young kids blood. Sure there are some
kids that enjoy and play with trains, but the majority of young (american)
kids this theme is lost on. An electronic toy is what they want.
-AHui
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