The Future Of LEGO - Smart Bricks

Bubba

With the digital age dominating and TLG seemingly unable to find a way to tie their core product, the Lego Brick, into the digital age what does the future of LEGO look like? There are a number of Lego games but that's not really something that like sets you can keep cranking out over and over again and it be successful. 

The idea I've had for years and its something that will require a major re-work of the formula for making the bricks but would definitely tie into the digital age, a smart brick if you will, are dynamically programmed bricks. Not what we have with Mindstorms but bricks that literally can be changed to match any color or pattern. Imagine a set of assorted bricks in various sizes that are all white but when touched to a small programmable device they change their color/pattern to match what the user has set on the device. If something like this were possible and with a brick that was as durable as what we have now and the color/pattern persisted it would allow the production process to focus solely on brick shape and not color/pattern.

As a secondary new type of brick I also imagined one that was self-sealing. By that I mean you could take (as an example) 2 2x4 bricks and when touched long end to long end could be made to seal together like as if it were now and had always been 1 2x8 Brick. 

Both of these are obviously way off and scfi-ish but with the way materials engineering is going who knows what might be possible in the near future. 

These are just some ideas I dreamed up one night and I do literally mean they came to me in a dream. My youngest daughters and I had somehow traveled to the not too distant future and we were watching my oldest' s daughter playing with Legos and she was changing the color/pattern of the bricks and making 2 bricks comes together as one to make a piece she was missing. The combination of these 2 break-throughs were allowing her to make more with what she had. 

CCC

I'll stick to what we already have.

Bubba

CCC said:

I'll stick to what we already have.

I know its far fetched and not feasible for years to come but where the technology to do this exist and be reasonably priced I could definitely see them at least trying it. 

CCC

There already are self healing polymers that form a bond when held together.

But what is the point of fusible bricks? As soon as you build a model it would be permanent, so you might as well just glue existing bricks. Plus there is the issue of wrapping each brick so it doesn't fuse to other bricks in the box.

Bubba

I'm not talking about bricks that would permanently bound together but that could be assemble and disassembled both so those same 1 2x* could then be broken back down.  I believe the logic for why I dreamed this up came from when I was a kid I often never had what I need and desired a way to take what I did have and create from it what I needed.  As adults with resources its easy to forget that many kids who love the bricks too don't have the container after container of parts lying around to make just about anything they want.

CCC

They already work like that.  If you want to turn two 2x4s into a 2x8, connect them with a plate.

Astrobricks

Hmm. I’m thinking Replicators from Stargate. That didn’t turn out so well 😳.

Shib

Not at all what I was expecting as a suggestion of what Smart Bricks could be at all. While the suggestion is interesting as a thought experiment I think it’s flawed in a lot of ways. First the “ obviously way off and scfi-ish but ... who knows what might be possible in the near future” & “not feasible for years to come but where the technology to do this exist and be reasonably priced I could definitely see them at least trying it” comments - you are talking about something that the technology is massively unlikely to be possible for a very very long time yet, let alone being affordable. Also even if these technologies were developed for other things what would be the gain in the additional r&d costs to scale it into LEGO size. Think about the amount of tech that would be needed just for the colour change idea side - this would likely be achievable by screens/lights- would require room for a “computer chip”, a power source if you want the colour to show when not attached to other pieces and something in the way of an NFC chip to communicate with whatever programs it. Scaling these into a toy is not unfeasible but scaling it into say a 1x1 brick or even a 2x4 plate in out lifetime I can’t imagine happening. The cost to do so would make each part cost a ridiculous amount,

in terms of fusing parts at will I just don’t see the point - LEGO is literally about sticking pieces together- if the technology exists to fuse pieces together like that why bother making LEGO with it at all? You could just take a lump of said plastic and manipulate it into a toy car or house or whatever - so it becomes more like moulding things with play doh but getting a solid toy to play with at the end. So again what would the gain be in developing this tech into LEGO pieces?

Also what you’re talking about is essentially possible in Digital form...getting too close to that with an expensive physical product when the digital equivalent has been available free for a long time is a bit of a pointless move.



personally I think a more feasible idea for a smart brick would be to take the basic NFC chips from Dimensions but develop them into more standardised pieces that could either be read only (Dimensions characters) or read/write (Dimensions vehicles) - these could be used in different ways.

read only parts could allow for physical builds to be easily scanned by a reader (perhaps even a special baseplate that recognises the parts) so physical builds could be digitised to be stored or even used in video games.

read/write could combine nicely with Mindstorms/Boost so robot builds could be programmed with physical pieces. It could also have alt functions listed for the read only parts so different parts already give a robot instructions too.

pxchris

Along the same lines as what @Shib stated, I could also see more push for additional "smart" functions and features inside of standard bricks - sensors, transmitters, electronic components, lights, etc, etc. Nothing changing the fundamental design and purpose of the brick, just adding digital functionality within it.

cody6268

Given today's tech, we could easily have a small, self-contained rechargeable version of the old 9V micromotor that could even be remote-controlled. 

bricktuary

Light & Sound? It'll never catch on. 

prevere

I would like a recordable brick. This is easy and very useful for so many reasons.

We get random sound bricks once in awhile (engine, barking dog, alien sounds, carousel). Couldn't be that hard to create a 2x4 or 4x4 element w/ lithium batteries and a small speaker w/ record, delete and play features. 

CCC

cody6268 said:

Given today's tech, we could easily have a small, self-contained rechargeable version of the old 9V micromotor that could even be remote-controlled. 

And they'd only charge $69.95 for one.

EGRoberts

As a information systems technician in the army can I just add that I love lego because it has been the same since I was a kid and low tech is in fact it's best part. Nexo Knights, Hiddenside, and Vidiyo are by far the worst things because they are trying to mesh a great toy that doesn't need technology to succeed. The smartest brick I own is a light brick and thats about where it can stay next to NXT and evo. Lego is imagination.. Adding sound and other things to bricks just takes one more thing away from our kids that they would add themselves. "Pew Pew Pew" comes to mind. I like lego because it is the one toy that gets my kid off his computer or nintendo switch and actually thinking! It is also the one thing that I use to escape computers and just relax building away.. Hard to relax if you start adding sounds or your robotic bricks build themselves.

CCC

EGRoberts said:

As a information systems technician in the army can I just add that I love lego because it has been the same since I was a kid and low tech is in fact it's best part. Nexo Knights, Hiddenside, and Vidiyo are by far the worst things because they are trying to mesh a great toy that doesn't need technology to succeed. The smartest brick I own is a light brick and thats about where it can stay next to NXT and evo. Lego is imagination.. Adding sound and other things to bricks just takes one more thing away from our kids that they would add themselves. "Pew Pew Pew" comes to mind. I like lego because it is the one toy that gets my kid off his computer or nintendo switch and actually thinking! It is also the one thing that I use to escape computers and just relax building away.. Hard to relax if you start adding sounds or your robotic bricks build themselves.

LEGO does need to push boundaries to succeed. If they didn't, LEGO would be painted wooden toys.

Remember not every theme has to be liked by every person. Some people like light and sound bricks, others will want digital integration, others want just plain bricks. LEGO doesn't force everyone to have the same sets.

CCC

prevere said:

I would like a recordable brick. This is easy and very useful for so many reasons.

We get random sound bricks once in awhile (engine, barking dog, alien sounds, carousel). Couldn't be that hard to create a 2x4 or 4x4 element w/ lithium batteries and a small speaker w/ record, delete and play features. 

They did one years ago in Wazo (duplo).

Brickchap

Personally Id hate all that. Currently Im not a Luddite but when it comes to Lego, I want Lego! Plastic bricks! The System of Play as envisaged by Ole, Godfred and Kjeld Christansen.

Weve got enough Apple, Google, Samsung, goodness knows what else crap about as it is.Given the amount of young children thesedays who when given a book start tapping it and wondering why it doesnt do anything, wouldnt it be NICE to have a toy that isnt a screen? Or associated technology?

Everytime Lego does something technology based, it fails. Miserably. Thankfully kids arent yet as stupid as to chose toys simply because they have an app function. Lego really needs to stop being like Minions and running after whatever idea has already started. The whole Skylanders 'put your tangible toy in a digital game' thing was nearly dead by the time Lego came out with its Dimensions idea. The only reason Dimensions wasnt a complete flop was because it gave AFOLs unusual licenses like E.T. Hidden Side was a disgrace from a marketing perspective and while the sets (the actual Lego part) were pretty darn good, the app and technology aspects (as also pushed on the boxart way too much) ruined the themes chances of ever getting off the shelves.

Lego City Undercover, Jurassic World, Harry Potter, Lego Battles, Lego Batman the Videogame and countless more are random games no one remembers. I still enjoy Lego Battles and Batman the Videogame but thats only because I played them as a kid and like the Lego aspect. Kids thesedays wouldnt be particularly impressed by Lego Battles for example with its 1980s graphics and what is just a childish rip off of Civilisation basically.

Does anyone remember Lego Worlds? The game everyone thought looked like Minecraft, and was pretty much the same as Minecraft except there were vehicles and some more contemporary weapons? I doubt any kids still play that. Lego Universe has probably never been seen by most kids now.

Now we have Vidiyo. Apart from a lame attempt to create a 'cool' name out of technology from 20 years ago, once again we have a Lego product that is simply running after the latest tech craze, being TikTok and falling flat on its face. For some people the minifigs and printed tiles are cool and theoretically the bandmates CMF style series might be popular with kids (although not as large a target market as other themes) but certainly the technology aspect, once again, will prove a failure. Why on earth would a child (or their parent) pay lots of money just to get a 'lame eshay Lego person' so they can use a crappy TikTok. Kids already have Itunes, Spotify and various video editing software.

Super Mario, while cool for Nintendo fans, I cant see working. It costs $70 AU here just to get the darn thing to work. This is before you can supposedly benefit from spending even more money to 'extend your course'. You can buy around one or two games for $70. Why waste money on some weird (some would say creepy with the black eyes) Mario Lego thing when you can just buy Mario World Builder for either the same price or probably less.

The only technology based things that ever made sense were ignored or dropped, as every good large company does. Lego Digital Designer kept the Lego system of play or rather building, but put it onto the computer. It truly allowed both children and adults to use their imagination as one was no longer limited by a part collection or budget or even colour choices (in the case of Extended mode). LDD did in no way detract from the Lego product, it benefitted it. But sure enough Lego abandoned it in favour of its 'great ideas' of running this continual marathon against Apple, Google and so forth.

The other tech idea, to get back to what this forum post was about, was sound and light bricks. Sadly these are rarely included in sets, and the specific type of batteries are nigh on impossible to buy separately. (at least here in Australia, Ive also tried ordering online but I can never quite get the right size despite reading the numbers on the original)

At the end of my long comment I conclude that instead of fans calling for more tech and Lego management needs to get its head out of the sand, or mobile phones rather, and look around the walls of the Lego buildings in Billund. Walk around Lego House. Feel some real bricks through their hands and (as many a company needs to do) go back to their original ethos and what they are best at doing.

Lego doesnt need to 'adapt to the digital age.' Its not the United States defence forces or NewsCorp. Its the Lego Group, the company which makes plastic bricks for kids to build and play with. (and adults ofc haha) Sticking to bricks hasnt failed in the past and it sure as hell wont fail in the future. Lego sales continue to grow and its a damned large coincidence that the top selling Lego themes are ones that dont have a technology aspect and they have been doing for years. (technically Classic is new but its basically just Bricks and More under a new name)

Shib

Take it you missed the articles about the success of LEGO Mario after LEGO published their annual results?

http://bricksfanz.com/lego-super-mario-most-successful-theme-launch/

CCC

LEGO has changed in the past and, so long as they are not changing everything at once I really don't see the problem. They have tried some things and they fail. They have tried other things and they have succeeded. We don't have to like or buy every LEGO product or theme. I'm not a fan of VIDIYO (although my daughter seems to be), but it would be sad if LEGO never tried anything new.

I wonder what would have happened in the 50s and 60s if the internet was around then. We don't need specialist vehicle parts, or new parts for figures, not when we have die-cast vehicles and existing moulded people ...

Or we don't need wheels, if you want trains with wheels that roll around use other toys.

Loads of people were against licensed themes when they first came out, and quite a few still are. Yet that has massively boosted LEGO's popularity. If they didn't try to tap into popular licenses at the time, Megabloks or whoever else had done it instead would probably be the number one brick brand now.

Bubba

CCC said:

They already work like that.  If you want to turn two 2x4s into a 2x8, connect them with a plate.

Really? I didn't know that. Do you really not understand the idea or are you being sarcastic?

Bubba

WOW, just wow. Several of you really do know how to encourage people to not share ideas.  

EGRoberts

I am not saying they shouldn't try new things but as a parent my kid has enough things to draw him to video games already so I would want them to stick to there core of designing toys and not video games. Do we play lego games sure. But when you have games that require sets and the sets end up being just a display for the games to scan then I say no, he has enough video games. Keep your sets as toys and your games as games. Give parents the choice. Minecraft was perfect. Ninjago was perfect. Star Wars again, perfect They can have both as long as they keep it separate and give me the choice of what I provide to my child for play. It is a loosing battle constantly as a parent to keep our kids using imagination to make there own play and lego has been one of the few glimmers of hope I have to combat this with my child, if they turn to a tablet game with every set then they have lost parents.

@CCC Megabloks was a Canadian company... Even patriotism would not prompt me to buy that flimsy plastic lol. Licenses are good if used right but they are not the end all be all. I had lego x-wings and lego Enterprises with Captain Kirk in classic space era of lego because lego can be whatever we want it to be. 

Anyone else wonder why every movie is a remake or sequel now?? Death of imagination.. It started with classic lego themes being licensed. No one knows how to dream anymore.

EGRoberts

CCC said:

EGRoberts said:

As a information systems technician in the army can I just add that I love lego because it has been the same since I was a kid and low tech is in fact it's best part. Nexo Knights, Hiddenside, and Vidiyo are by far the worst things because they are trying to mesh a great toy that doesn't need technology to succeed. The smartest brick I own is a light brick and thats about where it can stay next to NXT and evo. Lego is imagination.. Adding sound and other things to bricks just takes one more thing away from our kids that they would add themselves. "Pew Pew Pew" comes to mind. I like lego because it is the one toy that gets my kid off his computer or nintendo switch and actually thinking! It is also the one thing that I use to escape computers and just relax building away.. Hard to relax if you start adding sounds or your robotic bricks build themselves.

LEGO does need to push boundaries to succeed. If they didn't, LEGO would be painted wooden toys.

Remember not every theme has to be liked by every person. Some people like light and sound bricks, others will want digital integration, others want just plain bricks. LEGO doesn't force everyone to have the same sets.

I am not saying they shouldn't innovate. I am saying they shouldn't stray to far from there roots. They are a toy manufacturer, not a gaming publisher. Last time lego strayed they almost went bankrupt. Make new parts, make new themes, make new stories even, but do not make your sets dependent on tablet games. Do not make your sets require electronic smart bricks... Leave something for the kids to use there imagination. 

The_Rancor

I think this discussion is valid - there is room in the product range for TLG to experiment with smaller digitally enabled bricks. We know there’s a market out there because Lego-compatible brands offer a few different brick formats.

Lighting is probably the most obvious use for a ‘smart brick’ - the PF lighting is a bit unwieldy and so are the light bricks for wider usage. It would be good to have longer last lighting in regular bricks that can be switched on or off independently of a separate battery pack. There will be other interesting things Lego can do with interactive items too considering the functionality of Super Mario but it just depends where they see a gap to introduce it.

I don’t think we will ever need bricks that can merge together. If it was permanent then it limits reuse and if it wasn’t then you could just connect the two bricks together another way.

Brickchap

@Shib Did you even read my comment?

Lego Mario is only working because fans have always wanted a lego mario/nintendo series. Certainly the brick-built Yoshi, Koopa Troopa, Toad and so forth are pretty cool.

But as a whole whether people are buying the sets for the technology 'game' aspect or simply because its Lego Nintendo stuff (and instantly recognisable), we dont know.

Personally I think its just because its Nintendo, as I stated in my previous comment, having to pay $70 just to get the Mario character to work with everything else means that apart from buying a set for parts or to get a certain character, for a child wanting to play the game, and expand, its rather expensive.

Now of course that doesnt turn kids off straight away but again as said before, certainly from a parental view why buy a bunch of expensive Lego sets for the sake of one 'game' which ones child/ren may only play a few times when you could just buy a big City or Ninjago playset? for example. If the child wants Mario stuff, just buy them the actual game which, as previously stated, is ironically around about the exact same price as the Lego Mario Starter Pack.

These ideas are what @EGRoberts was pointing out. I 100% agree that Lego should be a 'break' from screens and so forth, encouraging fine motor skills, imagination, problem solving etc.

It always amuses me how many people always assume the extreme on this forum. If someone says bring back historical themes, this vocal minority will start ranting about how kids wouldnt be interested in sets from the 80s, 'kids are far more likely to buy a Ninjago space ship then Yellow Castle.' Well of course they are. Thats not what the historical theme people mean. We mean to a new theme with new pieces and ideas, add a damn TV show in if its absolutely necessary. Ive always suggested a new Vikings theme.

As for this discussion we have the same problem. No one here was saying Lego should be like the Amish, pick a time and just never change anything. We are just saying Lego needs to go back to its core values and stop running after fads. Lego's current ideas would be like making every set relate to a transistor radio back in the 60s or every set is compatible with your Walkman and fax machine in the 80s.

In the postwar period airliners became very popular over the traditional ocean liner. This didnt mean that White Star Line started trying to make aeroplanes.

Unlike the aircraft example, Lego doesnt need to compete with new technology. The Lego brick is still fine and as yet the only competitors are other brick-based brands who often make poorer-quality sets or steal Lego and fans designs. But theres no reason why Lego needs to 'compete' with Playstation or Snapchat. Are all book publishers turning to Kindles? NO. Are car manufacturers giving up on regular cars and trying to make flying cars simply because of those drone taxi things? NO.

So theres no reason to have an 'arms race' if you like, with technology companies. Kids may play Fortnite for a couple hours, then theyll go fly around their Lego Star Wars ship. No problem. No app needed. After all, in the 80s and 90s (obviously also early 2000s) technology was picking up and very popular. Thats when all the classic Nintendo and other videogames came out. But that didnt mean Lego started chasing after technology then, so why now?

Remember, technology is constantly changing. Its very difficult to keep up with. To refer to aircraft again, why the hell is Lego desperately trying to introduce Gloster Gladiators (1930s biplanes) when everyone else is already starting on Gloster Meteors?? (late 1940s/early 1950s fighter jets).

The tech companys (which also includes gaming companies) will always be three steps ahead of Lego. Lego always enter the market as the market is closing, then wonder why sales werent so good. Its a losing battle that they dont need to fight.

Nerf still makes Nerf guns. Matchbox may make cars that look different to the ones that came out 50 years ago, but they are still making little toy cars. Lego makes plastic bricks.

Now if you want to include something useful like a light or sound brick, thats great. But my problem is when they mash regular Lego together with a often rather poor quality attempt at a phone or computer game and dump it on shelves expecting it to sell just because it has a 'tech' aspect, despite its non-tech based sets selling just as well, if not better (usually the latter).

CCC

EGRoberts said:

CCC said:

EGRoberts said:

As a information systems technician in the army can I just add that I love lego because it has been the same since I was a kid and low tech is in fact it's best part. Nexo Knights, Hiddenside, and Vidiyo are by far the worst things because they are trying to mesh a great toy that doesn't need technology to succeed. The smartest brick I own is a light brick and thats about where it can stay next to NXT and evo. Lego is imagination.. Adding sound and other things to bricks just takes one more thing away from our kids that they would add themselves. "Pew Pew Pew" comes to mind. I like lego because it is the one toy that gets my kid off his computer or nintendo switch and actually thinking! It is also the one thing that I use to escape computers and just relax building away.. Hard to relax if you start adding sounds or your robotic bricks build themselves.

LEGO does need to push boundaries to succeed. If they didn't, LEGO would be painted wooden toys.

Remember not every theme has to be liked by every person. Some people like light and sound bricks, others will want digital integration, others want just plain bricks. LEGO doesn't force everyone to have the same sets.

I am not saying they shouldn't innovate. I am saying they shouldn't stray to far from there roots. They are a toy manufacturer, not a gaming publisher. Last time lego strayed they almost went bankrupt. Make new parts, make new themes, make new stories even, but do not make your sets dependent on tablet games. Do not make your sets require electronic smart bricks... Leave something for the kids to use there imagination. 

They do leave something for imagination. They don't make ALL sets require electronics. If you want kids to use imagination, buy them Classic sets. And for the kids that want to integrate lego with their electronic play, they also cater for them with things like Vidiyo. Not everything has to appeal to everyone. There is room for imaginative play, storytelling through licensed sets and games.

Bubba said:

CCC said:

They already work like that.  If you want to turn two 2x4s into a 2x8, connect them with a plate.

Really? I didn't know that. Do you really not understand the idea or are you being sarcastic?

Why use smart tech to turn two 2x4 bricks into a 2x8 when it can already be done in most cases by attaching other parts to make a strong bond between them. 

CCC

Brickchap said:

Unlike the aircraft example, Lego doesnt need to compete with new technology. The Lego brick is still fine and as yet the only competitors are other brick-based brands who often make poorer-quality sets or steal Lego and fans designs. But theres no reason why Lego needs to 'compete' with Playstation or Snapchat. Are all book publishers turning to Kindles? NO. Are car manufacturers giving up on regular cars and trying to make flying cars simply because of those drone taxi things? NO.

Are LEGO giving on on plastic bricks and only making tech based toys? NO.

EGRoberts

Funny story about lego mario. My wife bought the starter set for our kid and yoshi's house and a few other sets of it.. My kid loves mario, he loves lego... Doesn't touch it which drives my wife nuts lol. He played around with the starter set for a couple days and now it just sits there collecting dust.. It is too specific to be anything but mario and the few features it has looses kids interest in less then a week at best. Now standard lego could be rebuilt into cool things... A 50 dollar computer mario figure is always a 50 dollar mario figure. I personally would of preferred spending the money on hiddenside, atleast the bricks where standard and the ghost dog was cool.

Brickchap

@CCC True, they havent given up on plastic bricks entirely, but I really see no reason as to why they keep needing to take a lot of their themes and shove technology into them.

Hidden Side wouldve been great without the app and stupid box art. The box art turned off parents while the game was rated as lame and limited by many. The actual Lego sets were good, not necessarily something I personally would go for, but it was real Lego and the sets were quite detailed but not too difficult for children to build.

@EGRoberts Once again I completely agree. I wish there were more people like yourself who would openly admit that these things just dont work.

Im not against Lego Mario, certainly I think it will do a lot better then Hidden Side or Lego Worlds for example. But the draw is simply because its Lego Mario/Nintendo. As you correctly point out, the mario figure itself is useless for anything else and barely looks like lego. Perhaps a CMF series wouldve been better. Like Hidden Side, the sets themselves arent that bad but the fact they rely completely on technology makes them lose so much of their usability.

560Heliport

Brickchap said:

@CCC True, they havent given up on plastic bricks entirely, but I really see no reason as to why they keep needing to take a lot of their themes and shove technology into them

A lot of their themes? Super Mario and Vidiyo. Two themes this year. Hidden Side last year. And... umm... I suppose Nexo Knights, but that was 3-5 years ago. Why are you all worked up about a small fraction of what LEGO makes each year?

Fizyx

Here's the next official piece of tech I'd love to see LEGO take up: a wireless lighting solution like the i-Brix Kickstarter. While that particular Kickstarter has been, so far, disappointing, the technology/idea definitely were not.  The ability to integrate lighting into a build, without worrying about running wires everywhere or strategically placing battery packs, etc etc, and the ability to potentially have different colored lighting bricks as well, was a really good idea, and I think it would bring a whole new layer of playability and creativity to the LEGO space.

To take the above idea of incorporating electronics and building with them for effect into the LEGO paradigm, I would also be really interested in a some kind of circuit building LEGO line.  Like where you would have bricks that could be connected to form the 'wires' and then you would have other kinds of effects bricks that were powered externally by the wire bricks.  There are a ton of things that could be done with this, and I feel like it would be right up the STEM alley that LEGO is interested in from a toy perspective.  I think the outcome of a well designed product like this could be literally unbelievable.  Look at the enormous creativity of redstone circuit building in Minecraft.  Obviously plain physics would make a direct redstone analog impossible, but the amount of things that people are able to do with a very limited number of specialized functions is mindblowing.  (I think safety would likely be the biggest hurdle here, but especially if the themes are for older children, I think it's something that could definitely be worked out.)

For a final idea, and going off the 'STEM' idea from the last one, it would be really neat if LEGO actually went all in on a mechanical/machine theme that mixed Technic and System.  Think a GBM style theme.  I think there's a ton of room for creativity and learning here, and I also think that it would not only appeal to younger kids (LEGO AND moving parts doing things? Amazing!) in a way that would encourage play with both kids and parents involved, but it would also provide a really good opportunity to appeal to older kids and teens.  Most of us have stories about our dark ages, times when we 'grew out of' LEGO as a kid before we came back to it as adults.  It's almost a universal experience.  But why?  Personally, I think a large part of it is that, in the end, LEGO is a static toy in the vast majority of cases.  It depends on imagination and human action for non-static actions to occur.  But you can't really make something that will DO something without a great deal of effort or know how or knowledge that most older kids/young teens don't have.  Even LEGOs own educational sets targeted towards the older kid/teen demographic acknowledge this to a certain extent, as they are largely focused on robotics, where you're making something that can do something without your having to physically 'swoosh' it.  Now, obviously for a theme like this to work, LEGO would likely have to find a way to lower the cost of the mechanical pieces, motors, etc involved, but I think such a theme could honestly prove to be one of the next big, lasting lineup changes in LEGO history.

Anyways, I just wanted to toss some ideas out there because I think there's a TON of room for LEGO to innovate here in really cool, creative, and interesting ways while still staying true to their roots.  And like @CCC said, I think LEGO would be in trouble, and actually really boring today if they didn't take risks and innovate sometimes.  Personally, I think increasing technology and electronic innovation in LEGO (which seems to be something LEGO is very interested in) can actually be done in a number of ways, and is definitely worth pursuing.  It's going to be hard, and it's going to fail sometimes, but seriously... as LEGO builders, we already KNOW that creativity and building something new is hard work and includes trying and failing at a lot of things.  It feels very in the spirit of LEGO to encourage such attempts.

Shib

Brickchap said:

@Shib Did you even read my comment?

 

Yes, I did:

Brickchap said:

Super Mario, while cool for Nintendo fans, I cant see working. It costs $70 AU here just to get the darn thing to work. This is before you can supposedly benefit from spending even more money to 'extend your course'. You can buy around one or two games for $70. Why waste money on some weird (some would say creepy with the black eyes) Mario Lego thing when you can just buy Mario World Builder for either the same price or probably less.

Interesting how you change the wording from “I can’t see it working” to “it’s only working because...” after accusing me of not reading...

Brickchap said:

@Shib Did you even read my comment?

Lego Mario is only working because fans have always wanted a lego mario/nintendo series. Certainly the brick-built Yoshi, Koopa Troopa, Toad and so forth are pretty cool.

The interesting thing with the Mario theme is that the reaction when it was announced the AFOL response seemed to largely be that people were put off by it not being more traditional minifigures and builds and I saw the same sentiment echoed in Nintendo fan groups. Obviously it’s hard to know how much was people venting but still buying or if the success is down to kids taking it on board. In terms of the tech involved (which is what his thread is meant to be about) I think LEGO Mario really gets it right for a theme that’s trying to integrate tech. The actual tech is about engaging with the physics toy, the sets are built in a way that encourages experimentation and imagination to build your own courses and the barcode tiles on enemies can easily be used to build your own enemies too that will be useable in the courses. The only big miss on the tech side for me is the lack of physical instruction, if they’d included them then the app would be entirely optional. (As a side note on the dead eyes Mario I do think a trick was missed in not coming up with a dummy body piece that could be used for display - mainly when you consider the alternate suit mini sets would have been more interesting if they could be displayed looking complete with a figure each. If they’d made something like that even as something only directly available from LEGO Shop I think we’d have a bit more of an idea if these are more appealing to Nintendo collectors who just want display pieces)

CCC

They did do the current carrying plates back in the 80s and 90s. I guess they are expensive to produce for the benefit they bring. Thin wires are cheap and easy to bury even if not so kid friendly (in use, rather than for safety).

Regarding the lights, there is a Japanese (I think) made system called X-base that also went through kickstarter, for more general models not just lego. They work so long as the distances are not too large, but are very expensive for what they are so there would be a very limited market for them if lego did them.

Shib

I bought a Light Brix set mega cheap a few years ago...was something like this one but not exactly the same:

They use a mix of wires and conductive elements to carry the power around the build - if I remember right the conductive bricks looked like standard (for them) bricks which flash when connected they just had a small metallic section in the middle that carried the electricity.

Fizyx

CCC said:

They did do the current carrying plates back in the 80s and 90s. I guess they are expensive to produce for the benefit they bring. Thin wires are cheap and easy to bury even if not so kid friendly (in use, rather than for safety).

Yeah, I was thinking something similar, but then building on top of that idea so you can include things like LEDs, resisters, some chips containing logic gates, etc.  Basically starting off with some of the functionality that you find in those kids 'teach yourself electronics' kits.  Obviously LEGO would want to do something to differentiate the idea from just another kit like that, but the ability to build out a circuit and make it do different things I feel like would fit in really well with LEGO's ethos.  So more like instead of just wiring some lights in (which, lets face it, was really all the old plates did) you might be able to build like a digital LEGO clock. 

Sets probably would be more expensive, cause you're right they would be more expensive to produce, but also I feel like for the kind of added functionality you would get, people would likely be willing to pay more too, especially for something you could then take and build creative projects right into your regular System/Technic builds with.

Yellowcastle

Like species over time, most have to incorporate innovations or ultimately disappear.  (For the exceptions, I’m looking at you, sharks.) :o)

My family has no interest in Mario or Vidiyo and had little interest in Nexo or Hiddenside.  And, for the most part, we are happy with the current licensing boom.

So long as these themes are enjoyed by some fans, give LEGO new and additional insight into their consumers and the market and don’t otherwise bankrupt the company, I’m all in.

Bubba

The_Rancor said:

I think this discussion is valid - there is room in the product range for TLG to experiment with smaller digitally enabled bricks. We know there’s a market out there because Lego-compatible brands offer a few different brick formats.

Lighting is probably the most obvious use for a ‘smart brick’ - the PF lighting is a bit unwieldy and so are the light bricks for wider usage. It would be good to have longer last lighting in regular bricks that can be switched on or off independently of a separate battery pack. There will be other interesting things Lego can do with interactive items too considering the functionality of Super Mario but it just depends where they see a gap to introduce it.

I don’t think we will ever need bricks that can merge together. If it was permanent then it limits reuse and if it wasn’t then you could just connect the two bricks together another way.

Thank you for a fair and non-critical response.  To provide some clarity on the merging bricks idea, I wouldn't want them to be permanent. Eventually (if we don't collapse society) tech will get to teh point that something like mergeable bricks is a reality. Like anything new in tech it would be expensive but also like with tech it would get cheaper over time. If at some point Lego could make something like this , a mergeable brick with teh ability to change color, LEGO would be able to reduce how many unique pieces they have to make. It's definitely not around the corner but probably closer than we realize. Samsung (if I remember correctly) just showcased a roll up phone. A phone that with a button press can increase the height of teh screen going from say 2.5 inches by 6 inches to 2.5 inches by 10 inches and you see it increasing it's length. At first it almost looks like magic until you see the backside of teh phone where the extra screen is on the back because the screen itself is now flexible enough to bend fully around to the back side of the phone. It really was very impressive. 

Bubba

This is a perfect example of how teh future might look. This individual was able to create a working Horizon Dial into a Roof Slant Brick that normally would come pre-printed or you'd use a sticker.. If this person can do this now I'm sure we will see some technological advancements from TLG. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNJpRXlfKQE&t=5s

Astrobricks

Cool! But if you think Lego is expensive now….

Bubba

Astrobricks said:

Cool! But if you think Lego is expensive now….

Well if they tries something like that now than yes I'd expect it to be too pricey to be worth it but 10 years from now? 

samiam391

Bubba said:

Astrobricks said:

Cool! But if you think Lego is expensive now….

Well if they tries something like that now than yes I'd expect it to be too pricey to be worth it but 10 years from now? 

Still pricey compared to a set without it.

Bubba

samiam391 said:

Bubba said:

Astrobricks said:

Cool! But if you think Lego is expensive now….

Well if they tries something like that now than yes I'd expect it to be too pricey to be worth it but 10 years from now? 

Still pricey compared to a set without it.

Just as some existing LEGO bricks are pricier because they are special in some way I'm sure this would be too but not so much that it's not feasible or would reduce sales.  I wouldn't envision every brick in a set having this feature just the ones that 10 years before would have been done using a sticker and how many bricks in a set that you'd have screens like this currently are done using a sticker? Remember I am speaking 10 years from now and not 10 months.

Brickchap

@Bubba While the idea is nice, I don't want this to happen. Lego decals are already too modern and specific to 2020s as it is. Stickers can be removed so you can use said piece in other situations. Prints can be generic so they can be used across multiple themes, locations and time periods (or at least they should be). With electronic bricks, a Ninjago thing could only be useful for Ninjago. An Ultra Agents type radar thing couldn't be used for regular Agents or Cold War era type agents for example.

Bubba

Brickchap said:

@Bubba While the idea is nice, I don't want this to happen. Lego decals are already too modern and specific to 2020s as it is. Stickers can be removed so you can use said piece in other situations. Prints can be generic so they can be used across multiple themes, locations and time periods (or at least they should be). With electronic bricks, a Ninjago thing could only be useful for Ninjago. An Ultra Agents type radar thing couldn't be used for regular Agents or Cold War era type agents for example.

If they ever did something like this it would be 1 maybe 2 bricks in a set and surely that's not enough to be concerned with not being able to use that brick elsewhere. AS far as stickers go it's never been my experience that you can take them off as easily as they go on unless you do it very soon after placing the sticker on the brick. 

Brickchap

@Bubba That is true about stickers. It's especially annoying the older ones that crumble with some staying on and others just falling off everytime you pick the model up.

While I get what you're saying, it's still like a print. It's very specific and renders that part difficult/impossible to use elsewhere. Also perhaps I could have explained better; it's like how the new radar 2x2 slope print is quite futuristic for example. You can't use it for anything prior to like a near-future situation (and not just 20th century/early 21st century models, but also say you're making a post apocalyptic MOC and you want it to have a radar but since the character's vehicles or base is made from whatever they can find, they wouldnt have ultra super high tech stuff.)

rockethead26

Brickchap said:

@Bubba That is true about stickers. It's especially annoying the older ones that crumble with some staying on and others just falling off everytime you pick the model up.

While I get what you're saying, it's still like a print. It's very specific and renders that part difficult/impossible to use elsewhere. Also perhaps I could have explained better; it's like how the new radar 2x2 slope print is quite futuristic for example. You can't use it for anything prior to like a near-future situation (and not just 20th century/early 21st century models, but also say you're making a post apocalyptic MOC and you want it to have a radar but since the character's vehicles or base is made from whatever they can find, they wouldnt have ultra super high tech stuff.)

The idea of Lego is to put any part wherever you want. It's a toy, not a prop source for a Sci-Fi movie. 

Bubba

rockethead26 said:

Brickchap said:

@Bubba That is true about stickers. It's especially annoying the older ones that crumble with some staying on and others just falling off everytime you pick the model up.

While I get what you're saying, it's still like a print. It's very specific and renders that part difficult/impossible to use elsewhere. Also perhaps I could have explained better; it's like how the new radar 2x2 slope print is quite futuristic for example. You can't use it for anything prior to like a near-future situation (and not just 20th century/early 21st century models, but also say you're making a post apocalyptic MOC and you want it to have a radar but since the character's vehicles or base is made from whatever they can find, they wouldnt have ultra super high tech stuff.)

The idea of Lego is to put any part wherever you want. It's a toy, not a prop source for a Sci-Fi movie. 

Then why do they make bricks with pre-printed images on them (ie not stickers)?

rockethead26

Bubba said:

Then why do they make bricks with pre-printed images on them (ie not stickers)?

Hey, I'm on your side! You can put any brick (printed, plain or electronic) wherever you want to. All are reuseable somewhere, someplace, sometime.