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Subject: 
Re: Speculation: Monorail, Disney, Past Coincidence?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.trains
Date: 
Tue, 19 Jan 1999 18:35:28 GMT
Viewed: 
981 times
  
Plenty of valid points here...

LEGO AS is market driven. We must assume that we are all a special interest
group of adult LEGO train builders. A very small group, even if we were 1000
strong (that number seems even a bit high). When LEGO AS designs a product
they need to hit a large TAM (total available market). I assume that ~100,000
of a medium priced set are produced. They also have factory loading issues,
after all they are a manufacturing compnay first not a design company, small
runs must be costly.

Most of us are striving for, if I might use the LEGO definition, model team
detailed trains, buildings and scenery. They on the other hand most focus on
appealing to their target market; kids between the ages of 5 and 12. So "play-
ability" most be first on their list. I wonder if they have private test
market sessions for new designs?
SteveB

John Neal writes:
I respectfully disagree for these reasons.  First of all, one can hardly call • an idea
such as "motor with 6 large wheels" or "gentler curved rails"  original. • These are
the kinds of things I'm talking about.  Also, I point to Matt's scratch built
crossover track  as further evidence that this isn't a major concern.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/train_depot/cross.htm .  This did not
prevent TLG from introducing their own version later this year.  In fact, he • may have
instigated it:)  What I'm saying is that if we all agree on certain "wants", • we will
be making TLG's Marketing Dept.'s (if such a dept. exists) job a cakewalk • because
they will KNOW what their customers want, not what they MIGHT want.  I don't • know
about you, but I don't want or like their new train sets for '99, except for • the new
(if any) unique train pieces in them. Sorry for the soap boxing.

Terry K wrote:

On Mon, 18 Jan 1999 23:32:25 GMT, John Neal <johnneal@uswest.net> wrote:

If we suppose that Disney and (for our purposes) TLG are monitoring sites • on the
net such as James' webpage, I think we (trainiacs) should come up with • some sort
of top 10 or 20 list to make known beyond a doubt what TLG can produce • which will
greatly enhance their train line and, in turn, make building trains so • much more
enjoyable.  I thinking along the lines of Matt's wish list
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/train_depot/wishes.htm   If we • could
definitively lay something out, perhaps things might happen...

But if I understand TLG's reasoning correctly, the act of publishing your • own
ideas would make those ideas unusable by TLG.  Something to do with • copyrights
and such?
So maybe you would be better off _not_ publishing all those great ideas, and
hope/pray TLG comes up with similar ideas on their own.

There should be a smiley here, but unfortunately the above scenario is • probably
true.

-- Terry K --



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: Speculation: Monorail, Disney, Past Coincidence?
 
(...) Define "we". People who read/post to lugnet? Adult Fans Of Lego, worldwide? I'm sure there are more than 1,000 AFOL's worldwide. More than 10,000. Steve (25 years ago, 19-Jan-99, to lugnet.trains)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Speculation: Monorail, Disney, Past Coincidence?
 
I respectfully disagree for these reasons. First of all, one can hardly call an idea such as "motor with 6 large wheels" or "gentler curved rails" original. These are the kinds of things I'm talking about. Also, I point to Matt's scratch built (...) (25 years ago, 19-Jan-99, to lugnet.trains)

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