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Things that annoy you about Lego that you're sure no-one feels as strongly about
1. Obviously everyone knows the Star Wars Clone Wars minifigures were absolute garbage, and I'm glad that they've reverted to more naturalistic designs, but there's still way too much detail in the printing these days. Wookies doesn't have all these much lighter brown highlights on their fur, so why is it in the minifigure? Jabba doesn't have light green highlights on himself either. The old versions of each were superior. I also prefer the old 2006 Gamorrean Guards, the old Dengar, and a bunch of others. Minifigure design peaked between 2005-2008 where all Lego needed were a few lines to create the basic impression of a character's face.
2. I much preferred the old blaster design of a black loudspeaker with a 1x1 round trans plate on the end, and all my sets are MOC'd to retroactively install them. It just feels more in the spirit of Lego. The black rifle things were a downgrade and God save us from those horrific new flick-fire blaster things.
2. I much preferred the old blaster design of a black loudspeaker with a 1x1 round trans plate on the end, and all my sets are MOC'd to retroactively install them. It just feels more in the spirit of Lego. The black rifle things were a downgrade and God save us from those horrific new flick-fire blaster things.
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Comments
The new click-shooters are also brilliant, and I actually think it's a darn shame they've been used so much in the Star Wars theme where people won't appreciate them. I'm surprised to see that a fan of the classic black megaphones is opposed to a design that's pretty much just as versatile as a building element, but adds an awesome function for good measure. Did you know they you can build columns from them, or build them into a wall, just like a megaphone?
I have had moments where I feel like nobody else feels as strongly about an issue as I do, but to be honest not a whole lot of them spring to mind at the moment. A lot of them are specific to themes like BIONICLE that I'm sure most people here don't really care about anyway. And just as often I feel like one of the only people who DOESN'T have a strong, knee-jerk reaction to certain things.
Take, for instance, Chinese-made minifigures. I know quality issues exist, but my reaction is not "stop making parts in China entirely" so much as "get your quality control back in shape no matter where parts are being made". Similarly, licensed themes. I have very little interest in them personally, but I don't feel like they're uncreative, that they're inconsistent with LEGO brand standards, or that they're taking away resources that should be reserved for non-licensed themes (all accusations I hear a LOT on various LEGO fansites). Though it would be cool to see more T-shirts and other non-LEGO merch for non-licensed themes, something I'm glad we've gotten with franchises like LEGO Ninjago or The LEGO Movie that have gained their own pop-culture appeal without depending on an external license.
I definitely like the newer versions of the Star Wars Minifigures. Boba Fett,Jabba, Jar Jar, Gamorrean Guard and Watto are far superior to the older ones, but the old ones still command decent money in the aftermarket.
I also like the new Dewbacks.
I'm kind of annoyed by these horizontal lines on minifigure hands, as opposed to the older smooth ones. Anyone else notice those?
That said...I do agree with most of the things said here. XD
The hands are still clips, though, if I'm not mistaken. An alternate blaster arm has been used in two sets (one in 2009, one in 2011), but only for the left arm. All other examples including current examples still use the clip arms.
I've thought of something else though. Does it bug anyone else that nearly every female minifigure has both a normal expression and a scared one? I'm not a feminist or anything (I'm a guy actually) but it just seems like another unrealistic portrayal of women. The scared faces even show up where they are completely unecessary, like the Research Institute, ironically enough. For example, does anyone recall a scene in The Lone Ranger when Red Harrington is even remotely scared? Or Bellatrix Lestrange (except in the moment of her death), who isn't afraid of anything?
One thing I don't like that I've never seen mentioned is the way most hats leave the back of heads exposed. I think that Emmet's hard hat with hair really highlighted for me how I'd like to see hats done.
Joking! ;-p
Great for many situations!
Naa; I'm everyone hates that right?
Also ridiculous resale prices for new sets like a Model Team truck I wanted. $800? No way and you know the seller will never lower the price :(
For the longest time, I attempted to sort all parts by the part type. But it seemed that almost every set had some mold I had not accounted for requiring even more bins for one or two pieces. Instead of taking joy in the new possibilities with these molds, I started to resent them more and more.
Finally, I started just sorting by color and only have three Stack Ons for sorting by specialty.
Frankly most people who dislike girl-oriented LEGO seem to feel that way because they feel like girls and boys should enjoy the same LEGO, not because they think LEGO should be for boys only. This is the first time I've ever heard anyone express the latter viewpoint. Can't say I have any sympathy... I think the bigger and diverse the LEGO fan community gets, the better.
You know what really grinds my gears? New moulded pieces being released in situations where they are not necessary. The money to create one new mould for a piece which is totally unnecessary could be used to make a new mould for a more exciting piece (like a new Killer Croc bigfig).
'And that, Brickset, is what really grinds my gears. Tom...'
@ChrisJThunder - I don't see why it is funny at all. Friends sets are very popular and many are excellent either for parts or simply on the merit of the set itself. Why should this not be acknowledged by the fan community?
@CapnRex101 I agree, the Friends sets are excellent sources of various parts in uncommon colors, so I love them for that reason. There's no reason the community shouldn't acknowledge their value.
Am I against against police and fire sets being released? When it gets to the point that every stinking year they are releasing slightly modified fire and police stuff and focusing less and less on other things that SHOULD be in a city like food places and banks, YES I am against it!!! If they'd start giving equal attention to other types of city stuff, I'd have ZERO problems with police and fire sets. How can they have this many criminals yet no places to rob? How can they have that many fire sets with not many places to fight fires? Or what about all the vehicles yet no where to drive them to?
Is moc'ing a building an option? For some yes but taking into account I don't really have a proper building space ATM(but I am working on it), I'm kind of out of luck.
Sure they have construction stuff coming out but honestly I think that has more to do with the factor that Emmet of TLM was a construction guy and Lego's trying to cash in on that factor while TLM sets themselves might be wrapping up unless they cough up another wave.
This is something seen is all collector bases for toys or action figures in some ways appears to elevate the insulting side of being a "geek".
Videos where 14 year olds show off how many generic clones Daddy has bought off Ebay. And 10 year olds mew over how cool it is and wish they had them/offer to buy them at stupid prices.
In fact, broaden that out to any Youtube video on any subject!
I think that the face-prints of the Clone War minifigs is/was horrible, but that is I suppose about the only thing I agree on with you. I love how TLG has improved on detail on minifigure printing on torsos and legs, as well as the abundance of different face-prints, eyes with white dots are so sparklely (@Lego_Lord_Mayorca ) ;-). The extraordinary amount of facial expressions is fantastic.
The Star Wars character Chewbacca, and its furry costume has various colour tones. Though I don't own a Chewy minifig (or any Wookie) I appreciate it tremendously that TLG keeps improving and refining the minifigure designs, moulds, and prints. I don't have many minifigures with an especially moulded head, but one of the few of those sort of minifigs I have is the Gamorrean Guard from #75005 which I think is very well done.
Furthermore I could not disagree more with you regarding the SW blasters. I like the way the blasters look as well how by attaching other elements to them you can change their look. Though you can do similar things with the loudspeaker element, again I think all the new moulds adding detail etc. are an improvement rather then the diminishment of the spirit of Lego, as you view and experience it. Fortunately as you state yourself, the fantastic thing about Lego is that you can change many things you don't like, such as replacing blasters with loudspeakers, or whatever else suits your personal preference.
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I believe the new stud-shooter guns are a big hit with kids, though I don't care much for them myself, and as a consequence have bricklinked a bunch of SW Lego blasters to equip my Death-Star gunners from #75034 with etc. I suppose what annoys me a little, or at least is something I do feel strong about is why TLG includes so few blasters and other minifig props in these sets. When I buy castle Lego, or LOTR Lego sets often contain more swords, spears, shields, apples, torches, coins etc. My AT-AT #75054 e.g. contains only four blasters, and one binocular piece. but it is an AT-AT it is supposed to represent one of Star Wars most ominous vehicles on the battlefield, which is almost impregnable, and from which many troopers are dispatched along with tripod-cannons, speeder bikes and what not. General veers does not even get to have a blaster for him self. I only display all the models I build, make dioramas, and occasionally MOC, but don't play with my Lego the way I did once on a daily basis when I was a little kid up to the age of about twelve, as I assume many kids do. Role-playing; acting out battles inventing and making up all sorts of adventurous scenarios where minifigs are being played with in a similar fashion as kids play with action figures, and I did with the Kenner SW action-figures when I wasn't playing with my Lego. Though the minifigs in conjunction with all the Lego vehicles which you as kid can take apart too, rebuild, and redesign offer a wider range of play possibilities opposed to e.g. the Kenner action-figures. So whether you are an AFOL or a kid, extra weapons, food items, and other props items are tiny things which enhance play value as well as diorama display charm, and the ability to add detail to minifig populated MOCs.
As others have said; hairpieces/helmets/hats that leave secondary faces exposed on the back of the minifigure heads is kind of a bummer which sometimes annoy me somewhat.
Quality issues! TLG should take better care to make sure (Chinese) manufactured parts are not sub-par to what we Lego consumers may expect Lego elements to be; 'only the best is good enough'.
In the Star Wars advent calender I bought (my 1st SW advent calender) is a super battle droid. This 'minifigure' has a torso with a very ugly open back which is not Lego compatible. That is to say you cannot attach it to, or attach other Lego elements to its back. The front of the torso is great as some sort of engine part or greebling on a MOC. I think TLG failed to properly design the back of the torso, as well as those 'playmobil' legs. Even skeletons have separate legs which can be articulated individually. Also why did TLG design those arms and hands like that. Super battle droid arms with wrist joints and articulate hands would have also been much nicer. Also no printing on the torso.
Regarding the number of face-prints with a certain expression or lack there of; it is too bad that pretty much all the Hobbit/LOTR elf minifigures have these grumpy faces. they either look stern or have as an alternate face a teeth bared ferocious battle cry look. The only elf that looks happy is intoxicated, totally wasted, a binger. Don't get me wrong I think that drunken minifig is fantastic, though I would have liked to see some more cheerful (Elvish) minifig faces.
Instructions and sticker leaflets with folds and twists in them. You open your new set only to find your stickers and manual folded and damaged.
And finally the last thing I feel compelled to rant about: stickers! They drive me nuts, I hate them with a passion, I always feel they are a disruption to the happy flow I am in when building a new set. They distort my Feng Shui, they are bad karma! I often don't have the patience to apply them or am infuriated when I am unable to place them onto the bricks perfectly, and wish all stickers worthwhile applying to my precious bricks would be printed. TLG should put an extra leaflet with stickers in all sets in case you mess them up. The worst are stickers that need to be applied to a 1x6 tile or a round tile, or minifig books, which on one side have an indentation leaving an air bubble underneath the surface of the sticker. Stickers which are not perfectly aligned or worse with air bubbles severely piss me off!
Wow! I have a lot of issues it seems ;)
Anyway...
Writing this was sooo therapeutic.
Well there's one tiny little thing for me....
Everyone being so preoccupied with Minifigs.... it's a construction toy after all... not GI Joe! ;-)
They have an innate collectability, though - they're all the same basic shape/size, with variations in printing; they represent popular film characters, etc. They've become a bit of a pop culture icon.
Especially since, as you say, Lego is ultimately a building toy. I think the hype is because they add a certain 'humanity' to a Lego creation - you can create a house, a car, whatever, but having a person able to live in/use it kinda tops it off nicely.
The excitement for me is new minifigs and new parts.
Although I moc figures as well (although not so much licensed ones), so they are a construction toy (sort of!).
There are not that many toys that traverse such different play genres in such an open-ended manner. Both types of play have their purpose. I guess that is the opposite of this thread and why I like Lego. ;-)
There are definitely some aspects of Lego that frustrate me.
I will say I am currently frustrated with the price on the new Mindstorms.
Now as an adult, I see my daughter loves getting different figures to play with. I, on the other hand, want to collect them. Looking at bricklink over 25% of my collection worth is tied up in minifigures alone. I guess that shows where LEGO has headed.