minifig browser updated? hard to browse now

legomaniac_jacob

Hi, I noticed the minifig browser changed and I don't like the current version. I used to be able to select a broad theme like "Castle" and then on the right side it would show all the subthemes like "Dragon Knights", "Forestmen" and "Lion Knights". Now when I click on a broad theme category, it just pulls up ALL of the minifigs in that broad theme, organized by year, but does not allow me to sort them by subtheme. This is very frustrating for me as I organize my collection by theme and subthemes.

Can someone please help me out, let me know where I can find all minifigs sorted by subthemes, or can you just change the browser back to how it used to be?

thanks

Huw

I'm in the middle of rewriting them. The old pages used different queries and code and were difficult to maintain and not all the same information was available on them all, and so on.

So, I'm rationalising the database queries and the code libraries at the moment and should have finished in a week or so.

In the meantime you can view a page like

http://www.brickset.com/minifigs/browse/categories/?category=Castle

and add a bit to the URL to change the sort order

http://www.brickset.com/minifigs/browse/categories/?category=Castle&OrderBy=Category

to see them in subtheme order. That'll be incorporated in the menu when I've finished.

Sorry for the inconvenience...

legomaniac_jacob

Thanks for the quick response. If it is only for a week, I won't complain, I will just wait patiently until it is finished. I also appreciate you sending the manual link where I can find them organized by subtheme.

As a suggestion, I should note that for me, the other best way to browse the minifigs, aside from by subtheme, is how the Harry Potter page has been sorted for a while now, by character, so that you can see all iterations of, say, Ron Weasley, in one group. That is extremely helpful, especially with the large, well photographed images. If you could eventually provide an option to view all minifig themes in this manner, it would be great. The theme most in need of this style of sorting is the Star Wars theme.

Thanks

plasmodium

If I am not mistaken, the "large, well photographed images" are the ones that Huw has done himself. Obviously, he has not had time to do every theme, an the other images are pulled from another site, but I believe he is working towards photographing more themes. Star Wars would be an absolutely monumental task given the sheer amount of minifigures to photograph (not to mention sourcing them in the first place).
I hope this info is all correct, and I look forward to seeing many more of Huw's "well photographed" galleries!

legomaniac_jacob

That is very impressive if all of the photos were done by him alone. he should really enlist the help of some other people to speed up the process! In any event, I salute you, Huw, for all your efforts, and look forward eagerly to everything to come.

plasmodium

^Only certain themes are done by him, I believe (eg Avatar, Pirates of the Caribbean, Adventurers, Collectible Minifigs). The ones that are done by him have the "(c) Brickset.com" in the corner.

Si_UKNZ

Has the 'add minifig to wanted list' feature disappeared?
I must admit I've not used it much in the past so was not sure where it should be, but I go to the page for a minifig and there doesn't seem to be an option to say 'want'.

Huw

The work is just about done.

Clicking on the Browse tab then Minifigs shows a list much like the set browsing page, http://www.brickset.com/minifigs/browse/. From here you can view minifigs by category, year or both (this year's minifigs)

The minifig gallery, http://www.brickset.com/minifigs/gallery/, showcases the images I've taken, in a larger format. (I need to update a few of them!)

The images shown on the pages linked to from the minifig browse page are mostly from BrickLink, which I have permission to use, unless I've photographed them for the gallery in which case I use them instead.

@legomaniac_jacob, I have thought of 'enlist[ing] the help of some other people' but for reasons of quality control I haven't done so yet. The BrickLink images are fine for reference purposes, but many are photographically rubbish and I won't want the quality of those in the gallery to slip. If others are capable of producing the same, or better, quality images, then I'll be happy to enlist their help!

> Has the 'add minifig to wanted list' feature disappeared?

From the likes of http://www.brickset.com/minifigs/?m=bat001, yes it has, mainly because it's easier and more convenient to do it from an index page such as http://www.brickset.com/minifigs/browse/categories/?category=Batman I. However if it's missed I'll see what can be done to get it reinstated.

Do LMK if you have any more comments/suggestions...

Si_UKNZ

(On the 'add to wanted list' ..)

Thanks Huw, at least I know I can do it!

The 'user journey' I was following was ... I saw the review you did on the ninjago set with the purple snake.... I searched on the set number as I always would, went to the minifig tab and then wanted to add it to my wanted list (i.e. don't want the set).

I guess this journey is not supported currently so the journey I _should_ do is 'home>browse>minifigs>ninjago' then scroll down til I see it. At least I know I can do it now, thanks.

Personally, I'd certainly like to be able to look at a set and add just the minifig to my wanted list from there, either from the minifigs tab for the set, or from the individual minifigs page. I'd imagine this is a fairly common user journey for adding minifigs, but as always, its a 'cost-benefit' thing so I guess it depends how much hassle it is to build it this way.

Huw

A very reasonable thing to want to do :-)

I'll see if the javascript will allow for it, given the minifig list is Ajax-ed in.

Huw

'Add minifigure to wanted list' is now back on the minifig details page.

Si_UKNZ

Nice one, thanks Huw :)

TheBigGuy

Is it possible to change how many minifigures one owns in sets? I have more than one of some sets and have kept the set but sold the minifigures, for example I have two of #9493 but only one Luke and Jek from those sets as I sold the others. So I actually own less minifigures than my collection says.

Huw

Not currently, but that is an oft-requested feature so eventually I will add it!

TheBigGuy

Sounds good, thanks Huw.